


The Keeper

by andythestan



Category: Aespa (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, M/M, Romance, winrina
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:00:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29002611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andythestan/pseuds/andythestan
Summary: "You will tell no one of what you saw," Jimin's raspy whisper sends chills down her spine.The model pulls back in time to see Minjeong nodding furiously, still unable to utter a single word. The younger girl was so out of it; she doesn't notice the glint in Jimin's eyes and the shift in the air between them.
Relationships: Choi Soobin/ Yoo Jimin | Karina, Kim Minjeong | Winter/Yoo Jimin | Karina
Comments: 72
Kudos: 187





	1. Mrs. Choi

The morning rush has always been a challenge to get through. It's an entire ten minutes of queuing behind students, elderly, the occasional mother and child, then another ten for the ride, and another one to get out of the subway station. If only she hadn't slept through her alarms, then she wouldn't be half an hour late for work. Given the people she worked under, it's something she should start avoiding. She was only five months into her job; the time-span dubbed a blessing as people before her never stayed a week longer.

Heels clicked along the pavement that led up to a high-rise building that reflected the blue sky. The lobby still looked empty, save for the security inside and outside. It was a Monday, after all, and it meant most of her co-workers were already seated on their desks. But Monday's also meant that her boss still wouldn't be around until 10 AM, yet she is proven otherwise when a Lexus SUV rolls into the underground parking. 

Hurrying into the building, she almost forgets to scan her finger to clock in before slipping into the elevator, which thankfully was empty. It gives her time to take a quick scan of herself on the mirrored walls. Hair is still in place, ID hanging around her neck, and the white dress shirt tucked into the pencil skirt. As she checks on her black heels, the elevator doors slide shut, blocking out whatever came next of:

"Minjeong, hold up—"

Minjeong taps her foot impatiently, focusing on the red digitals that ascended from one to ten. Finally making it to her floor, she makes a beeline straight for her desk, passing by all the expensive furniture and weird designer statues her boss liked to collect, along with the only other people in the room right now, Jo Yuri and Kim Chaewon. 

Her desk was already waiting for her, empty except for the computer and telephone that sat on top. The moment she takes her seat, the intercom beeps for her attention, and at the sound, Minjeong tenses up. It was no surprise that she would be caught coming in later than usual, so she braces herself for a scolding. 

"Minjeong," His voice has always been stiff, but she still hasn't gotten around to get used to it.

"Y-Yes, Sir?"

"I want a vanilla latte, and I need you to pick up some files from Taehyun in Finance."

"Of course," Minjeong replies with a small voice, letting out a short sigh when the line goes dead. 

She gives herself a few seconds on her chair before standing back up and going into the elevator again. Minjeong curses as her feet started to ache. The heels certainly weren't the most practical choice of shoes with her job, yet she chooses to torture herself by wearing them five months later. But it wasn't so bad; there were just days where there was a lot more walking and sitting, but hey, it was what she signed up for. 

Though her position was labeled as secretary, everything she did was barely close to the job. Because the vice-chairman was such a busy man, he has two secretaries to handle the internal and external business side of things: Yuri and Chaewon. Apparently, this man was too busy even for his social life and the stuff that came after, so that's where Minjeong comes in. 

It was errands here and there, like ordering coffee and fetching files, which Minjeong had to face since her first day at the company. They could get tedious and overbearing at times depending on the errand, the only reasons why those before her quit so early into the job, but Minjeong didn't mind it. She was making good money, and she needed to shoulder most of the living expenses, seeing that her roommate was still jobless. Minjeong also liked the whole feel of being in the office, just not with her officemates. Believe her when she said she tried, but there was like an invisible barrier between them.

After making it back to the tenth floor, Minjeong struggles to find the balance in holding up four cups while clutching onto the thick files to her chest. Carefully, she sets one down on Chaewon's table, not wanting to disturb the girl who was focused on the computer monitor. Among the three of them, Chaewon worked the longest under Vice Chairman Choi. She wasn't cold, but she wasn't warm either. She didn't like to be bothered during work hours, so it was best to drop the cup off and go. 

"Thanks," she would mutter, and that would be Minjeong's cue to leave. 

Her next stop was Yuri, and Minjeong saw a great chance at them being friends. The problem was Yuri didn't. She seemed to dislike her since day one, and Minjeong couldn't tell why. Those harsh glares gave it off, and she refused to believe it was because of the nature of her job, being somewhat closer to the Vice-Chairman in some way than anybody else in the company. 

"I got you a coffee," Minjeong mumbles, offering the cup to the girl.

Yuri tears her eyes away from her phone, looking at Minjeong from head to toe with a blank expression. "You can leave it there." 

Her gaze suddenly has Minjeong feeling self-conscious, for whatever reason, and she is quick to leave the cup before walking away to her desk. She could still feel the burning gaze on her back, so she hurries to put her own coffee down before giving two hard knocks to the mahogany door and twisting its knob open. 

Minjeong doesn't look directly at him, focusing on the gold nameplate that was sitting on his glass table instead; Vice Chairman Choi Soobin, it read. He had pen twirling in his fingers as his brooding eyes scanned the papers lined up on the table. He doesn't look up when Minjeong reaches his table, only stretching his hand out for his daily energizer. 

She sets the files on his desk and stands by, watching Soobin's face contort from serious to irritation. She could already guess what was upsetting him. It wasn't hard to learn all the Vice Chairman's likes and dislikes; the man was quite vocal with it. He smacks his lips and sets the coffee down, his attention back on the papers in front of him. 

"Filter needs cleaning. Bitter beans are in my coffee."

"I'll be sure to relay that to them, Sir."

"Have we found a catering service for the event?"

Crap. Minjeong forgot about that, and her silence makes Soobin look at her expectedly. 

"I-I'm still working on it, Sir."

"Alright, no worries," Soobin brushes off and starts signing the papers. "I'm sure Hyung is going to replace him with his pick, anyway. Is there anything else I should be _reminded_ of?"

The secretary swallows thickly before answering.

"Your suit is ready for pick-up at Walton's, and your scheduled tennis match with Mr. Wong Yukhei is tonight," She pauses, and Soobin nods along. "You've also been invited to several weddings, and you have a lunch date with your—"

"Cancel with Yukhei, and send some flowers or whatever to those weddings," Soobin commands briskly. "And tell her I'm taking my lunch here."

"Would that be all, Sir?" 

"Yes, you may go."

A breath she didn't know she was holding is released, and she quietly takes her leave. Just as she opens the door, Soobin's booming voice makes her jump. 

"And get Yuri in here! Just what the hell has she done with these deals?"

Minjeong turns around to nod at him, forcing a smile before slipping out the door. Once outside, she's met again with fiery eyes, and her smile drops. She gestures to the door, and Yuri is immediately up on her feet, sauntering over with her mean look. Minjeong steps aside into her desk timidly as Yuri scans her from head to toe one last time, disappearing into Soobin's office with a scoff. 

Okay, she was starting to get angry now. Minjeong knew the lingering looks Yuri sent the Vice Chairman's way weren't for nothing, and she couldn't blame Yuri's attraction for him, but to think she could have him for herself was plain delusional. Yes, Choi Soobin was handsome, smart, rich, overachieving, everything but a bachelor. If Yuri was actually serious for Soobin's attention, then she'd need to fight off his wife first, not her.

Pushing all the negativity aside, Minjeong plops down on her chair and gets to work. The order for the flowers were sent in, and an email was sent to Yukhei's secretary, so now all she needed was a catering service. An hour or so has passed, and Minjeong was still empty-handed. All the places she's called were fully-booked, and looking at the food they offered was starting to make her hungry, so she switches from Google to the delivery app on her phone. 

Being busy deciding on her meal, Minjeong fails to notice the elevator doors dinging open, including the way Chaewon lets go of whatever she was working on to give a 90-degree bow. Her fingers don't stop scrolling until a shadow looms over her, bringing in the scent of jasmine and vanilla. The moment Minjeong looks up, she chokes on air.

"M-Mrs. Choi!" 

A pretty smile forms on those pink lips, and Minjeong tries her best not to stare at them too long. 

"I thought I told you not to call me that," Her deep chuckle resonates around them. "It's Jimin-unnie to you, Minjeong-ah."

"Right. I still haven't gotten used to it," Minjeong replies sheepishly. _Wait, what was Jimin doing here?_ "Oh, I forgot to tell you! Vice-Chairman…he said that he'd have lunch here, and I forgot to inform you…"

A wave of embarrassment washes over her. Her boss's wife was standing in front of her, clad in a floral chiffon dress with her hair tied up, already ready for their lunch date that wasn't going to happen. She expected her smile to drop, but it was still there. 

"No worries. I knew he would skip out again; that's why I brought lunch here," Jimin reveals the paper bag in her hands, and Minjeong sighs out in relief. "I also got you a little something."

Jimin reaches into the bag to take out a chocolate muffin, just about to settle it down on Minjeong's desk, but hands stop her. 

"You didn't have to, Unnie," Minjeong declines timidly. "I'm okay."

" _Please_ , I know you love chocolate," Jimin teased. "Come on. I got it just for you."

There was a giddy feeling in Minjeong's chest, and she accepts the treat anyway. "Thank you, Mrs. Choi."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" 

"Thank you, _Jimin-unnie._ "

"Much better!" A hand cups under Minjeong's chin, shifting to the side to pinch the soft cheek. "I'll see you around, okay?"

Tingles rose from under her touch, the goosebumps trailing down her neck. Frozen in place, she watches as the older girl steps into her husband's office, giving her one last glance before the door closes. Minjeong resists the urge to smile to herself, biting on her lip to contain the inner squeal she does at the dessert in front of her. 

It felt nice to be treated special; Minjeong wasn't going to deny it. Of course, who wouldn't like to be the favorite of somebody like Mrs. Choi, more famously known as Yoo Jimin, former child-actress now full-time model. The girl was not only graced with goddess-like features but also with the sweetest soul. Minjeong has only talked to Jimin a handful of times because their paths rarely crossed, yet every time they do, the older girl never failed to at least say hello.

And sometimes, it would be more than hello. A good thirty-minute chat in the VIP lounge area or Jimin is accompanying her to whatever errand she was sent to do. Minjeong didn't mind, Jimin was a pleasure to have around, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't look forward to seeing her. There were also the gifts Jimin would leave behind, particularly chocolate, all because of that one time she was caught raiding the snack bar to pacify that sweet tooth of hers.

Touch seemed to be essential in whatever relationship they had right now. Minjeong could count all the times Jimin would brush their hands together or when she'd reach for her face. She'd take it as Jimin's nature, and she liked it. And that scared Minjeong, liking her too much. The gentle voice, the sweet gestures, that perfect face…she was definitely crushing on Yoo Jimin.

Okay, so now Minjeong was probably as bad as Yuri is, probably worse since it's her boss's wife. But it was a harmless crush, one that would never morph to anything more. Jimin was way out of her league and married, and Minjeong was simply Minjeong. Having a micro attraction never hurt anybody, right?

////

Friday nights were when Minjeong was usually found in her pajamas, eating junk food while streaming some drama on the TV, half-listening to whatever her roommate was babbling about. But this Friday night was different. Minjeong was in a white cocktail dress, holding a glass of champagne to her chest while she leaned against the wall, already showing enough signs that she wasn't interested in Jungwoo from Marketing. 

"…so that's my next big thing. Do you think I'd get promoted by next month? I bet Jeongin is going to be first, I can tell he's Miyeon-noona's favorite."

She purses her lips and nods along to Jungwoo's words. The boy was too self-absorbed to notice that she wasn't paying attention anymore, but that was completely fine. He was livelier than the sea of people who spoke in serious, hushed manners, avidly waiting for the stars of the night to show up. And that's when Minjeong sees her. 

Upon the stage in a navy blue, floor-length dress that shimmered under the light, Jimin follows closely behind her brother-in-laws. Choi Yeonjun, Chairman of Choi Global Companies, takes his stand beside the microphone while Choi Beomgyu, the President, stands in front of it. Both men were dressed in fossil grey pinstripe suits, looking quite awkward with their brother missing among them. Hesitantly, Beomgyu taps on the microphone, eliciting a soft boom from the speakers that garnered the crowd's attention. 

"Seeing that Soobin-hyung is nowhere to be found, I would do the honors of the opening remarks to finally get this night started. Fifty years ago, Choi Global Companies was simply Choi and Sons, such a humble name. Harabeoji would've been so happy to see how far his small business has gone…"

Minjeong couldn't bother with President Choi's words; she could only focus on Jimin, who stood nearby him, standing with her perfect posture and looking unfazed by the bright lights and hundreds of eyes that stared. Her natural hair was curled into thick waves and spilled down to the middle of her back. Diamonds adorned her ears and slender neck, seamlessly matching with the wedding band that shone proudly on her finger. 

It takes her a while to realize that Jimin was staring right at her, a wink flying her way. A blush on her cheeks rises instantly, and Minjeong forces the champagne down her throat, yet she keeps their eyes locked together. That was the last she's seen of Jimin when President Choi wraps up his remarks, and they disappear from the stage. 

Dinner went by fast, and the secretary was more than ready to go home. The only person stopping her from doing so was Yeonjun. He called for her now and then searching for Soobin, but it wasn't like she knew where her boss was. The Vice-Chairman was nowhere to be found until dinner started, then he disappeared again, and Yeonjun probably sees Minjeong as his brother's keeper; hence, another:

"Minjeong, have you seen Soobin around?" 

The young chairman was already distressed, most likely from entertaining guests left and right all by himself. His hair no longer stood stiff, already pushed to the side with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, and his glasses were nearly slipping down his nose. 

"I still have no signs of him, Chairman Choi."

"Have you tried his phone?" Yeonjun asks desperately. "We have very important clients tonight, and they are asking for Soobin."

"I've been calling him all night, but his phone is off," Minjeong answers in disappointment. 

It was rare to have Soobin disappear during an important event. He's often grumbled about them since Yeonjun could be a handful at times in engaging with their VIP's, but it was all business, and he had no choice. Soobin probably saw the endless hours of interactions coming and dashed off when he had the chance, something Minjeong should've done hours ago. 

"Geez, that boy!" Yeonjun groans in irritation. "Can you please look for him? I know he's somewhere around here."

"Of course," Minjeong replies through grit teeth, masking it behind a smile.

Yeonjun nods at her appreciatively, tapping lightly on her shoulder before he heads back to a group of men not far from them. 

With a heavy sigh, Minjeong journeys through a mob of formal attires, keeping an eye out for ash-dyed hair and a pinstripe suit. She reaches the entrance of GCC's convention hall and still has no signs of the Vice-Chairman. The secretary decides to check the hallways, and if she doesn't find her boss, then it was time for her to head home.

The halls were dead quiet, only the clicking of her heels keeping her company. Minjeong makes sure to check every room she passes, all of which were lit up but empty. She makes it down the hall, about to take a right turn when she hears something—someone, rather. Well, not just one, but two. 

There was shuffling on the floor, and breathless pants in the air; Minjeong stops in her tracks. It is followed by soft moans and a grunt, making the Minjeong's heart hammer in her chest. As much as it scared her, she takes a peek over the wall. Her eyes widen, and her heart beats faster upon seeing the discarded pinstripe jacket on the floor, already giving away who it was. Minjeong holds her breath, trailing her gaze upwards, and finds herself covering her mouth to suppress her gasp. She expected to see the navy blue dress, but it muddled her to see satin pink instead. 

Minjeong couldn't watch anymore, swallowing thickly as she makes her escape as quietly as possible. She stumbles into the women's restroom that was five rooms away, still trying to wrap her head around what she just saw. As much as she wanted to erase it from her memory, it was indeed Jo Yuri with Vice Chairman Soobin all over her. 

She suddenly felt numb and needed something to feel to let her grasp some sense of reality again. When she turns for the sink, she hears a ragged sob and a loud crash. Minjeong quickly steps over to see the commotion and once again freezes on the spot. The dark hair shielded her face as she chokes out another sob, her fist on the broken mirror in front of her, the glass piercing her skin and drawing blood. 

"Mrs. Choi," the name slips out of Minjeong's mouth without a second thought, and she wishes she did.

The older girl turns to her, revealing her tear and mascara-strained cheeks. She slowly retracts her hand from the mirror, the other hastily wiping under her eyes. 

"I thought I made it clear on what you should be calling me, Minjeong-ah."

Minjeong didn't know how to react. First Soobin, and now Jimin. A million thoughts started to circle her head as she takes a step back every time Jimin stepped towards her. 

Why was she crying? Did she know? Am I going to tell her? It's none of my business. Her husband is cheating on her. She deserves to know. I might lose my job. I am going to get—

Her brain shuts down the moment her back hits the wall, and Jimin is only a foot away from her. Her lip quivered, not sure what to say next. She couldn't dare to look at Jimin in the eye, not with the way her uninjured hand rests against the wall right beside her face. 

" _You saw, didn't you_?" Jimin's tone was dangerously low, and fear coiled in Minjeong's stomach. 

Was she going to lie? Lie and go straight home, change into pajamas and listen to Ningning's job-hunting adventures. Yes, that was a good plan. 

"I hate liars, Minjeong-ah, you know that."

Jimin takes a step closer, they were almost chest to chest now, and it only sends Minjeong's mind into haywire. There was no way Minjeong was going home unscathed. 

"Look at me," Jimin commanded, yet Minjeong keeps her eyes trained on the floor. 

A disapproved sound leaves the heart-shaped lips, and the model closes the gap between them. Minjeong shuddered, her knees starting to give way, but they stiffen back up when a hand pushes her chin up. The strong scent of jasmine, vanilla, and blood getting her back to her senses. 

"You had no problem feasting on me with your eyes earlier. I wonder what makes it so hard now."

Humiliation was in the color pink of Minjeong's cheeks; her throat suddenly goes dry. She finally gives in to Jimin's command, looking at those brown eyes that used to be so soft, was now clouded with anger, hurt, and everything else Minjeong couldn't describe. Jimin leans down to the level of her ear, where Minjeong's erratic pulse was starting to become deafening. 

"You will tell no one of what you saw," Jimin's raspy whisper sends chills down her spine. 

The model pulls back in time to see Minjeong nodding furiously, still unable to utter a single word. The younger girl was so out of it; she doesn't notice the glint in Jimin's eyes and the shift in the air between them. 

"You won't tell anyone of this either."

Her words have Minjeong confused, but she didn't have time to react. A hungry kiss is forced on her lips, the taste of champagne and MAC lipstick dances on her tongue. She didn't know what to focus on now. Her heart that was about to go on cardiac arrest, the gentle caress on her cheek, or the teeth that grazed her bottom lip.


	2. To the Countryside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minjeong couldn't understand them at all, and maybe she shouldn't even try; it was only giving her a headache. Once the car started, she silently prays for the day to be done already, because she surely was.

The spoon circled her bowl, pushing along the soggy cornflakes that still had the capacity to float around. It was Ningning's turn on the stove today, and as much as Minjeong enjoyed the simple breakfast the younger girl makes, she really takes her time. There was always a story, an idea that slips endlessly from her mouth, yet Minjeong understood because her roommate was gifted with the arts, just not at the art of keeping quiet during the mornings.

"…and this guy suddenly cuts in line, and I'm like ' _hey!'_ and he's all—"

A loud crash snaps Minjeong out of her bleary haze, making her drop her spoon and get on her feet. She turns around the kitchen island and sees Ningning looking at her sheepishly with the pieces of the jar sprawled beside her, along with the red powder it was holding. Seeing the glass shards brings back her memories of that night, both clear and foggy. Ningning's yelp clears them away, and she gets up to fetch the broom and dustpan while keeping an eye on her roommate, who was turning the stove off.

"Why are you so out of it during the mornings?" Minjeong asks as she sweeps the glass away.

"I'm always like this, Unnie," Ningning giggles, moving aside for Minjeong to clean. "I should be asking you that question."

"Why?"

"You're always spacing out, but not the kind that you do whenever I tell you my stories."

"I'm sorry, I'm lost."

"Ever since you walked back in here from that dinner party, you've been spacing out a _lot_ ," Ningning emphasized on her last word with a deeper tone of voice, making Minjeong snort. "But in a different way, you know? Like you're trying to remember something."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and you've been touching your cheek a lot, too."

Oh.

Has she?

It was true that last Friday's events haunted her. There was just no way to forget how your boss was cheating on his wife, fully aware that she was in the same building as he was. Sure, Yuri's actions were starting to make sense now, but not Jimin's. Minjeong still contemplated if it really happened with the older girl leaving the second she pulled away, making her think otherwise. But she swears it on the bruised lip she had afterward, shuddering as she vividly remembers the image of Jimin licking her own before leaving her alone. 

"Unnie, your phone is ringing!"

Minjeong breathes out and shakes those thoughts away, now wasn't the time for that. She picked up her phone, sliding to answer without bothering to read the caller ID.

"Hello?"

" _Where are you?_ "

At the sound of Soobin's voice, Minjeong tenses up. It had been a while since she had last seen heard or seen of him, the man had not shown up to the office the following workday after the party, and it dreads Minjeong that it might have something to do with that night.

"I-I'm still at home."

" _Still at home? I'm already running late!"_

Confused, Minjeong darts her eyes around for the clock, and it reads Wednesday, 8:39 AM. It was way too early for the vice-chairman to be out and about. She doesn't even remember having a schedule for him today.

"I'll be on my way right now, Sir—"

" _No need. I'll come to get you, and you better be ready by then._ "

/////

They've been sitting in the SUV for god knows how long now, and only god knew where they were going. Nobody was giving any clues as to where and what they were going to do, leaving poor Minjeong to dig deep into her memory of Soobin's schedule. 

She wasn't the only one there to accompany the vice-chairman on this trip. Besides the driver, Yuri was also present, sitting a distance away from Minjeong but not far enough to still glances at their boss, who sat at the front seat. The space between them was fair; Minjeong didn't want to be near any of the two anyway after witnessing their apparent love affair. 

"Minjeong, organize this for me and line up whatever needs to be."

A tablet is presented in front of her, and the secretary recognizes it to be Soobin's planner. The email app was open, and there were many unread ones under the social tab. She quietly gets to work, ignoring the uncomfortable staring Yuri did from time to time. Minjeong reads the emails while simultaneously keeping note of dates, names, and events listed in the planner app. Halfway through, Minjeong starts to get dizzy, but thankfully, the car comes to a stop.

From what Minjeong could see, they were along the countryside. Plots of grasslands stretched out, all lined up with wooden fences, and not far ahead were houses. There were cars parked beside theirs and two men conversing nearby, and Soobin steps out to meet them. Not long after, Minjeong realizes that Soobin planned on buying a house. Every few feet, the car stopped in front of two-story houses, and the vice-chairman would have his window rolled down as he looked at them. Yuri would also have hers down, and she spoke about what she thought about them, leaving Minjeong annoyed.

Another hour or so passed, and the car stops in front of what looked to be a flower shop. Plum and cherry blossom trees grew on both sides of the small building, hibiscus, azaleas, and magnolias decorating the outside. Bouquets of other flowers were displayed by the shop's windows, making their stop seem intentional with Soobin leaving the car again. 

She watched as the vice-chairman confidently strides over to its supposed owner and points at the bouquets. What looked to be a harmless exchange between owner and customer slowly turned flirty with Soobin's cocky smile and the shop owner's lip bite. It irked Minjeong that she saw that, but kept her mouth shut. On the other hand, the co-worker beside her wasn't shy to express her displeasure, jumping out of the car and emitting jealousy with every step she took towards them. 

Minjeong rolled her eyes and looked away, disinterested in getting a glimpse of the outcome, but it doesn't stop the guilt that was flooding inside her. Here she was, witnessing the biggest playboy of the century, while his wife is probably unaware of his doings. Minjeong could only assume she didn't after seeing her cry last week. With a heavy sigh, she pushes those thoughts away, not wanting to involve herself any further, and reminding herself that this was none of her business.

The secretary's attention is brought back to the planner, scanning the whole thing for any errors and maybe get an idea of their next activity. To her disappointment, the schedule was for tomorrow and the days that followed. It left her no choice but to go with the flow of their day. Minjeong taps out of the planner and is about to turn the tablet off, but a folder name catches her eye.

Yoo Jimin, it read, and it seemed off to Minjeong that it wasn't Choi Jimin instead. But then again, what was she expecting at this point? Her curiosity gets to her, and she taps onto the folder, immediately presenting a full-packed schedule, almost looking like an itinerary. It didn't settle right with Minjeong as schedules were kept brief, not detailed to the last letter. Even specific names of people were on it. She scoffs and turns the tablet off. It was probably crafted that way so Soobin could be sure he had the time to skedaddle with other girls without Jimin getting in the way, the latter being in the middle of shooting an ad right now.

Yet, somehow, she always manages to insert herself into the situation. There was a vibrating sound on the front seat, and Minjeong a peek. Her heart starts to pick up a pace at seeing Jimin's name on the screen, an unnecessary heart emoji beside it. Minjeong watches as the call goes off, then comes back on again. 

"You're the secretary, right?" The driver asks, looking at her through the rear view mirror. He probably wasn't a fan of the noise. "Aren't you going to answer that?"

Hesitantly, Minjeong grabs the phone and glances out the window for her boss, but he was nowhere in sight, and neither was her co-worker. She turns in her seat, trying to catch a glimpse of a blue suit, and she spots it. About a yard ahead, the blue fabric peeking out hibiscus shrubs and painted nails run through them. Minjeong almost pities the fact that they weren't even trying to hide and wonders if the driver saw them, too. 

Her finger hovers over the screen, shaking lightly as she presses the answer button. The call had to be important, right? If not, Jimin wouldn't have called twice. 

" _Jagiya, I called to tell you that I'm done with the shoot. Pick me up in ten_?"

The gentle tone has Minjeong frozen on her seat, both from shock and confusion. 

There was no way they could get back to the city in ten minutes, and _jagiya_? Were they okay now? But Soobin was still out there with Yuri, so does Jimin know about that? Does she even know that they were out buying houses?

It gets Minjeong thinking about who the house was for since Yuri was quite vocal about her opinions on them and seeing how busy Jimin and Soobin were with their work, there was no time for lounging in a country house. It raises an uneasy feeling on Minjeong's chest, and she almost forgets she was on the phone. 

" _Hello? Jagiya, are you there?_ " 

Minjeong jumps at her voice, the phone slipping out of her grasp. She hisses out a curse and quickly reaches for the device, hoping it wasn't feeding any of the noise to the other end.

" _What was that?_ _**Jagiya, what are you doing**_?"

The sudden shift in tone has Minjeong's words caught in her throat, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. It was her first time hearing Jimin sounding so accusing, yet at the same time deadly and agitated. She was probably suspecting Soobin was up to no good, and Minjeong hated that Jimin was right. 

"M-Mrs. Choi, it's… it's Minjeong speaking," She stutters.

" _If so, then you're not addressing me right_ ," Jimin playfully scolds, and the secretary lets out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, Unnie," Minjeong mumbles, glancing out the window again for her boss. "The vice-chairman—he's still busy right now."

" _Busy doing what?_ "

Minjeong's jaw hangs open at the sight of Soobin kissing Yuri under broad daylight; the girl pressed firmly to his side as they approached the car. There was no way she was reporting that. Her eyes quickly shifted to the driver, but he was busy with his earbuds plugged in.

"He's—uh, buying flowers, I think," Minjeong lies, internally screaming at herself at sounding so obvious. "I-I can't really see him from here."

"Alright," There it was again, her sullen and deadly tone. " _So you're not with him right now?_ "

"He's outside the car, a-and speaking of, do you need me to book you a taxi?" 

Her knee bobbed as the pair outside were getting closer and closer. Nice save, Kim Minjeong. Definitely not suspicious, definitely not going to prove Jimin's suspicions further.

" _Hmm, it's alright, I can do it myself_." There was short silence that followed, and Minjeong grinds on her teeth. " _Do tell him that I called."_

"Of course, Unnie."

" _Thank you, Minjeong-ah, and I hope to see you soon. I miss you_."

A blush creeps up her neck while she chokes on her saliva. _Did she_?

Before Minjeong could utter her reply, the line goes dead, and the car door pulls open. A bouquet of purple hibiscus drops on top of the dashboard, and Soobin slips in with a straight face, pulling down the sun visor for the mirror, probably to check for lipstick marks. Yuri follows not long after with a smug look on hers. 

Minjeong clears her throat before leaning forward to pass back her boss's phone. "Excuse me, Sir, Mrs. Choi called earlier."

"Did she now?" Soobin replies nonchalantly, taking the phone into his pocket. 

The secretary leans back in her seat, feeling all bothered on the inside. He didn't even bother to ask what Jimin called for, and her co-worker was there looking so proud of herself. Minjeong couldn't understand them at all, and maybe she shouldn't even try; it was only giving her a headache. Once the car started, she silently prays for the day to be done already, because she surely was. 

/////

It turned out to drag longer than she expected. They constantly stopped in multiple locations, Minjeong started to lose track of them, and even had lunch on the road before carrying on. When the clock struck 5 PM, the car stops at a lavish-looking restaurant just a mile before entering the city. Soobin appeared to know some people there, and they find themselves with early dinner inside a private room. 

The sun had started to set, and it painted the sky with an array of blue, orange, and yellow. The orange lights were switched on and matched the rustic theme the room had going on, white washed walls and wooden furniture. Despite the romantic vibe the whole place gave off, it was the most awkward dinner Minjeong has ever had. 

Soobin and Yuri couldn't make it any more obvious that something was going on between them, and Minjeong settles with the driver being as dense as a rock. During their whole meal of smoked pork and scallops, flirty gestures and knowing looks were thrown around with additional under-the-table shenanigans. The secretary resists the urge to gag every time she takes notice of them. 

Soon enough, they were on the road again, and Minjeong's eyes start to get heavy. She mostly sat for the whole day, but traveling around and witnessing an awful attempt at hiding an affair was draining. A quick text is sent to Ningning before Minjeong leans her head against the window to doze off. She managed to sleep through the whole ride back to the city, only waking to the sound of the door slamming. 

"Thank you for the ride, Vice-Chairman Choi! See you tomorrow!" Yuri yells, voice muffled while in the vehicle but still comprehensible. 

Yuri was dropped off at the subway station, and since Soobin hasn't said anything about Minjeong doing the same, she presumes she was going to get dropped at her place. That was her mistake because Minjeong finds herself in one of Seoul's wealthiest neighborhoods fifteen minutes later. Soobin had been dozing on and off the whole way, so she takes her chance when he squirmed awake. 

"Um, Vice-Chairman Choi," She lightly taps on his shoulder. "I can get off here."

The vice-chairman jumps at the sudden contact, sleep washing off his face in an instant. Soobin looks at her surprised, then pinches the bridge of his nose with a groan. "Shit. I apologize, Minjeong. I totally forgot about you."

"It's alright, Sir. I can get off here and be on my way."

The car slowly comes to a halt, and Minjeong is about to unlock the door, but a hand on her knee stops here. 

"No, Minjeong. It's too late for you to be out there alone," Soobin says warmly, almost sounding like an older brother to her. "We're closer to my house now, so just spend the night there."

Minjeong was actually surprised that Soobin still thought about that and nods, not wanting to insult his kind offer. 

"Would Mrs. Choi not mind my intrusion?"

"Nah," He waves her off. "We've got a ton of guest bedrooms. She'll hardly notice that you're there."

The SUV shortly finds its way to a gated residence; uphill was a two-story house that stood, cream-colored pillars and brick walls holding up the dark blue roof, and lights shining out from the windows of the ground floor. After the car is parked, the driver bows and bids the two a goodnight before leaving for his quarters. Minjeong follows her boss, who lugged his way to the front door, the bouquet in one hand and a folder in another. With the passcode punched in, they make their way inside, switching out of their shoes into some house slippers, and enter a narrow hall.

It was furnished with little trinkets on some stands and modern statues, similar to those in Soobin's office floor, and the walls presented three sizeable frames. They were all of Jimin, and Minjeong recognizes all of them from magazine spreads, minus all the added inscriptions. Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, Jimin covered for big magazines, and only more were coming. She looked perfect in each frame, and it was more than deserving to be hung on walls. 

They take a right turn into a living space, and the first thing the secretary sees is a portrait of the married couple that hung proudly at the center of the room, both in their wedding attires. Below that was an unlit fireplace, and beside it was the top model herself. She was clad in a silk robe in a lovely lilac color, and her hair pulled into a loose bun. A book is nestled on her lap, and a wine glass rests in one hand. 

At the sound of the folder dropping on one of the couches with a clack, Jimin's attention snaps their way. Her eyes light up at the sight of Soobin with a goofy smile and flowers, and they get brighter when they land on the petite girl beside him. Keeping the glass in her hand, she waltzes over to her husband, wrapping an arm around him and getting on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. 

"Have you eaten yet?" 

"I have, and these are for you," Soobin pushes the bouquet to Jimin's chest, the latter flashing him a genuine smile. "And I brought Minjeong here by accident, so she's sleeping over."

"Oh, that's no problem," Jimin chirps, looking over to Minjeong, who refused to meet her gaze and kept hers trained on the floor. 

"Good. Show her to a room? I'm ready to pass out."

"I will. Goodnight, and _I love you_."

Soobin leans down to plant a chaste kiss on her hair before walking off. With her boss gone, Minjeong finds the courage to look Jimin in the eye, and she motions for her to follow. Wordlessly, they go down another narrow hall and turn to the left. Jimin pushes one of the doors open and steps aside for Minjeong to enter first. 

The room was simple, furnished with the necessities of a modern bedroom. A flat-screen TV is mounted on the wall and a dresser below it. Two single couches were pushed into one side of the room, accompanied by a glass coffee table, and finally, the queen-sized bed with plain white sheets and pillows. 

Minjeong timidly enters with Jimin trailing behind. The older girl leaves her glass and flowers on top of the dresser, then turns to Minjeong with a smile. 

"I'll be back with some sleeping clothes, okay?" 

She nods, and Jimin leaves the room. About five minutes pass, and she returns with a plaid set of pajamas, and she's ushered into the bathroom to change. When Minjoeng was done, she steps back into the room and sees Jimin sitting on the edge of the bed. Her wine glass is against her lips, her fingers padding on the petals of her bouquet. The click of the closed-door has those gentle eyes on Minjeong, its owner patting down on the space beside her. 

"You look so cute in those," Jimin remarks, making Minjeong smile shyly and mumble thanks. 

A hand cups under Minjeong's chin, a light push forces her to face the model. In a split second, her breath gets taken away. Minjeong focuses on the baby hairs first, combed neatly to the side, then the long lashes of those gentle eyes, her perfect nose, and the curve of her cheekbones. Lastly, on the lips that were stained with the alcohol's residue. Just looking at them brings her back to that night in the restroom, and her breathing starts to labor.

Her eyes trailed down to the silk robe that hung loosely on the model's shoulders. She resisted the urge to look any lower, but the v-cut of her robe was showing off the milky skin and the valley of her breasts. If the robe wasn't tied the way it was, for sure, they were going to spill out. 

The lighthearted chuckle doesn't pull Minjeong out of her trance, but the light tap on her jaw does. 

"Yah, Minjeong-ah, eyes up here." 

Having been caught in the immoral act, heat swarms Minjeong's cheeks, lips slightly parting. Jimin smirks at her and angles her hand to pinch at her cheek, saying how cute she was once more, before her hand drops down to her shoulders, sliding along her arm. Goosebumps rise in the wake of her touch, and the feeling as her head spinning. 

"Who else was with you today?" Jimin asks, her tone exuding the same commanding one Soobin had. Of course, Minjeong had to answer.

"T-The internal secretary, Jo Yuri—"

"Ahh, _it's her_." 

Minjeong opens her mouth and quickly closes it at her change of mind, but Jimin promptly noticed. 

"Go ahead," the older girl urges, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, so ask away. I promise to answer without any hard feelings."

She still hesitated, yet she gives in when Jimin tilts her head to the side. The model was cute, too. "What was that earlier? You were acting so…kind to him."

"He's my husband. I have to be," Jimin reasons, which Minjeong had to agree was the most logical move. "But what did you think? I'm still quite the actress, hmm?"

"Yeah," Minjeong agrees with a nervous chuckle. 

"I love him, even after what he's done. It's not like it's the first time."

Jimin proceeds to explain that Soobin had won her over the day they met. She fell for him the same way the other girls did. It wasn't hard with his handsome face, paired with his cheekiness and free spirit. His actions were of a true gentleman, considerate and dedicated; only, they didn't last very long. Soobin fell out of interest, and Jimin had to fight to get his attention back, leading to their marriage six months later. The model only had it for so long until their first anniversary when she catches him late at night in his office, drunk out of his mind with some intern they had. 

"I still see those parts of him that I fell in love with three years ago. Even now, when Soobin looks at others that way, it's the fact that he once looked at me like I was his everything, and that's why I stay."

Minjeong couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was her cheating boss worth it? She understood to some degree why Jimin could say that she was in love with him after all, but the kiss they shared didn't make sense to her. It was probably a slip into the moment, Jimin was heartbroken because of Soobin, and her emotions just took over. 

All the realizations she's had for the day were getting to her. Her head threatens to lean all the way, and if it weren't for Jimin, she would've fallen flat on her back. 

"You should get some sleep." 

The older girl gets up on her feet and pulls the covers to the side, allowing Minjeong to settle herself on the bed. With her vision blurring from the fatigue, Minjeong takes in one last look at Jimin before allowing sleep to consume her. The last thing she remembers before completely passing out is the whisper of goodnight and the cold metal on her skin as a gentle touch brushes on her face.


	3. For the Day

Oversleeping was already long written in Minjeong’s book. Neither the five alarms nor the specific ringtone she’d set for Ningning, which rang six times or so, could wake her up. And on the rare occasions that Minjeong did wake to them, she wouldn’t be too happy about it until she gets her morning coffee. Of course, nothing could beat waking up on your own. Savoring the stillness of the morning while stretching out in your bed, probably doze off a couple of minutes before getting up; that was Minjeong’s ideal morning.

Ideally, that’s what would’ve happened if she did wake up in her own bed. She stares at the plain white ceiling instead of the pastel orange she was used to, trying to register where the hell she was. The covers on her weren’t of her blue comforter, and the clothes she had on were too silky feeling to be the thin fabric of her overworn _Divide_ concert shirt. 

The groggy feeling rested on her from head to toe, but she knew she had to get up. Siding her legs over the edge of the bed, the items on the glass coffee table catches her attention. It was an empty wine glass, a tablet, and her phone. Minjeong doesn’t think much of it at first, simply going over to fetch her phone, but when the device turns on and flashes 11:09 AM at her, it’s when she starts to panic. 

She was two hours late, and the tablet was with her, and that meant two things: Soobin was without a schedule for the day, and Minjeong was going to get fired. The rest of her thoughts fly out of her head; her main goal was to get herself in CGC’s building. Just as she reaches for the doorknob, the door is pulled open, and Jimin greets her. 

The model was in a simple black off-shoulder sweater and acid-washed jeans, keeping things casual, yet it looked so different on her. Minjeong gives herself some time to gawk at the lean shoulders and the prominent collar bones, skin free from any blemishes. 

“Minjeong-ah, I was about to wake you.”

Her silvery voice lulls Minjeong back to her senses, the adrenaline running through her. “I-I have to go, Unnie, I’m late and Vice-Chairman—“

“Woah, hey,” Jimin grabs her by the shoulders just as Minjeong tries to squeeze past her. “Are you really going out in those?”

Right, she was still in her pajamas, and her clothes were on the sink counter of the bathroom. Minjeong is about to move again, but Jimin holds her still. 

“Minjeong, calm down,” She chuckles. “I told Soobin to let you sleep in.”

“You did?” Minjeong’s face twists into confusion, but panic still evident in her eyes. “So, I’m not going to get fired?” 

“Nobody’s getting fired, silly. You have a free day today.”

“I do?”

“Unless you want to tag along with me,” Jimin offers, pulling a face that Minjeong found hard to resist. “You get to see what my day is like!”

“I can do that?” Minjeong was unsure. She’s worked in offices since the day she graduated college, so not being in an environment of the likes would be odd for her. 

“Yeah, you can be my secretary for the day. Trust me when I say that being with me is more fun.”

Oh, Minjeong would definitely rather be by Jimin’s side over Soobin’s. Aside from spending the day with her, she could get an exclusive peek of what it was like being one of the most sought after models in the market. And indeed, Minjeong wouldn’t be witnessing any funny business going on, at least, she hoped.

“What do you say, Minjeong-ah?”

Slowly, she nods her head. “It’s fine by me.”

“Great!” 

The secretary gets pushed back into the room, and she watches Jimin lay out clothes on the unmade bed. It was a sleeveless mini dress, checkered with hues of brown and a beige colored cardigan. It was another simple yet chic outfit. 

“You like it?” Jimin asks, and Minjeong eagerly nods. Jimin looked great in everything anyway. “Alright. Go freshen up now so you can put it on.”

“Wait, me?” There was no way Minjeong was wearing expensive designer clothes. “I can’t, Unnie. They’re yours.”

“Well, I’m giving them to you now. I chose them especially for you,” Jimin insists, waiting for that quirked eyebrow of Minjeong’s to go down. “Wear them for me?”

_Especially for you._

She’s been hearing that a lot from Jimin. What made her so special? Why so suddenly? Was she the only one? Minjeong stops herself there. So what if Jimin also had special favor for others? It was none of her business, and she should be thankful rather than questioning Jimin’s actions. 

Her hesitant nod has Jimin clapping excitedly and shoos the girl into the bathroom. In an hour or so, Minjeong is dressed in her outfit and sitting in Jimin’s Mercedes while the model drives them around Gangnam-gu. Jimin didn’t have a driver, unlike her husband, explaining that driving was one of the few things she could do for herself since everybody did everything else for her. 

They later found themselves in a small studio sandwiched between local fashion stores that lined up the district. It wasn’t much from the outside as it seemed too small for a studio, but that was because it extended downwards instead of up. Minjeong liked that it kept the whole vibe low-key, definitely not screaming “room full of expensive equipment and the likes of inside here.”

After descending a floor down, the girls come face to face with the studio, already bustling with stylists and makeup artists. There were racks of clothes that took up a good portion of the warehouse-like studio, and they stood beside the vanity tables that seemed to be in use. The main event happened at the center of the place where a photoshoot was already on-going. Only one camera was moved around, its clicks and flashes audible amidst the buzz of the crowd and the soft R&B music playing. 

Jimin takes hold of Minjeong’s wrist, and they snake their way to the center. A pretty girl around Jimin’s height waves at them and walks over, giving Jimin a brief hug. They engage in a short conversation, the younger girl starting to feel awkward with Jimin holding her.

“Before I forget. Aeri, this is Minjeong, Soobin’s secretary that I stole for the day. Minjeong, this is Aeri, a friend of mine since college and a junior photographer under Ten’s company.”

Minjeong bows and mumbles a hello, and Aeri coos at her, pulling her in for a brief hug, too. When she pulls away, she scans the secretary from head to toe and gives Jimin a knowing look. 

“You put her up to this, didn’t you?”

“I did. She looks adorable, doesn’t she?” 

“Are you not interested in the modeling industry, Minjeong?” Aeri asks. “You have a big shot with that face of yours.”

“I’m not,” Minjeong answers shyly, her face turning into a light pink. 

“That’s a shame. Don’t you think so, Yooji? Because I could already picture her face on billboards.”

“There is a chance she could be a model,” Jimin agrees playfully, making Minjeong blush harder. “But then many people would be after, and I still want her to myself.”

Aeri lets out a snort before turning to her heel. “You’re up next after Yuna, by the way, and Jennie-unnie’s already waiting for you in the changing room.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you later, Aeri!” Jimin waves at her friend then proceeded to drag Minjeong to one of the changing rooms. “Come on, let’s go see Jennie Kim.”

/////

Minjeong silently sits beside Aeri, watching her work on the photos on her laptop. Now and then, she’d sip on her iced Americano and discreetly glance Jimin’s way, the latter currently posing in front of the camera while Ten praises her with compliments. She’d have to give it to Jennie, with Jimin looking so fine in all of her outfits for the shoot. 

She had met Jennie earlier at the changing rooms, and they engaged in a small conversation while the designer helped Jimin into her latest summer collection of NIEEH. It made her glad that they were able to ride the conversation out, seeing as they had completely different backgrounds. After their talk, Jennie decided that she liked Minjeong enough to buy her an iced coffee and a slice of pizza, to which the secretary was thankful because she was starving. 

The cold drink nearly spills from her mouth, some going down the wrong pipe when she catches the model’s steely gaze. Minjeong tries to clear her airways while Jimin breaks into a giggle, shedding off the serious character she had to play for her concept. The younger girl tries to focus on something else, the ceiling, the floor, the other models, but they would always end back with Jimin. 

With their eyes locked, Jimin would stick her tongue out, running it along her bottom lip or trail her hand down her exposed neck. Nobody batted an eye at her actions. After all, it was her job to do them in front of the camera, but Minjeong felt like they were done to tease her, and Jimin was doing a pretty damn good job. She had to face away, for the sake of not squirming on her chair and for the plastic straw that was being crushed under her teeth.

“Ugh, not again!”

The irritated voice has Minjeong jumping in her seat, its owner turning to her with a sheepish smile. 

“Sorry, Minjeong, the computer’s hanging again,” Aeri complains, her hand smashing down on the keyboard. “It’s been like this since this morning, and I haven’t gotten any work done!”

“Here, let me,” The younger girl puts her cup away and waits for Aeri to slide the device over. 

After a quick reboot and a refresh, the laptop was up and running again. They had to wait a while for the files to recover from the cloud, but Aeri was back to her work once they did. 

“Thank you so much, Minjeong! You’re like some computer wizard or something.”

“This is nothing,” Minjeong shrugs off. “This happens all the time at the office with the interns.”

“Well, they should be thankful that they have you around.”

For a moment, Minjeong forgets about Jimin, indulging in Aeri’s story-telling of how she discovered her love for photography in high school and pursuing it in college. She also mentions how she met Jimin, her drunk self throwing up all over the poor girl, and how she flunked many of her digital design exams.

“I’m still bad at designing now, though I’m doing my best to improve. Ten-sajangnim is quite the master arts-man, and he loves to add little tweaks to his work to make it unique, you know?”

“Is he interested in hiring somebody?” 

“He mentioned a couple of times, but we got busy, and I guess it slipped out of his mind.”

“I know someone fit for the job,” Minjeong pipes up. “She’s my roommate, and she’s good with this stuff!”

“Really? Do you have any pictures of her work?”

“I do, I have them—“ Minjeong scrambles around for her phone then realizes that she had left it in Jimin’s changing room. “They’re in my phone. I’ll just go get it real quick.”

Before completely reaching the changing room, Minjeong stops to look back at the set, only to find it empty. The studio was also starting to get empty, it was nearing 2 PM anyway, and maybe they were out to get a late lunch. The thought of knocking first doesn’t come to her, twisting the door open and slamming it shut, swiftly reaching for her phone on one of the seats. She misses the figure in front of the full-length mirror. 

“Minjeong-ah, do you think Soobin would like this?”

A thought runs through her head with her phone was secured in her hand. _Why did Jimin still bother about what Soobin likes?_ She turns to see whatever Jimin was talking about, and part of her wishes she didn’t. But the part that did ogles at the divine proportions while Jimin checks on her reflection. 

Answer her, Minjeong. 

“I’m sure he would,” She replies tightly. 

There was so much skin, too much that it felt wrong to stare, but Minjeong did anyway. The only thing that kept Jimin from being naked was the dainty bralette and its matching bottom, the black silken fabrics covered in a golden Barocco print. She liked how half the bralette’s straps were gold chains and how the Versace logo ran around the waistband of boxer panties, more especially how it perfectly hugged the curve of Jimin’s ass. 

The longer she stared, the harder it was to breathe. Perhaps, it was those thick thighs that she’s never seen before or the fact that she knew Jimin was observing her through the mirror. 

“ _Come here, Minjeong-ah_.” 

Without any unnecessary movement, she obeys and cautiously approaches the model. Once she was close enough, Jimin takes a step back and peering over her shoulder. 

“Do you mind adjusting the right strap? It’s kind of tight.” 

After sliding her phone into the pocket of her cardigan, her shaky hands get to work. It was such a minor adjustment, barely moving the plastic slider by a centimeter. Jimin moves her shoulder around and turns to Minjeong with a satisfied smirk. 

“What do _you_ think of this?”

Was this some sort of trick question? Because for sure, Jimin knew exactly how hot she looked right now.

“It’s…It looks good on you, Unnie.

Minjeong didn’t know what else to say, and Jimin looked like she expected to hear more. The ringing phone saves her from their staring contest, but upon seeing the name presented on the screen, it wasn’t much of a save. 

“Go on,” Jimin urges her, taking a step forward. “Answer it and put it on speaker.”

While they wait for the call to connect, she maneuvers Minjeong against the mirror, a hand resting on her shoulder and the other on her hip. Minjeong doesn’t utter a sound, choosing to wait for the shuffling sounds from her phone to stop. It sounded like the phone on the other end was being tossed around, then came a slam. And that’s when they hear it. 

“ _Ahh…just like that.”_

A strangled moan, followed by a hiss. What had Minjeong holding her breath was how…masculine it sounded, and the sharp nails that started to dig into her clothed skin. She still remains silent, waiting for a possible instruction from the girl in front of her, whose face carried an unreadable expression. Her hand that held her phone starts to shake as her other hand grips tightly on her dress. 

Jimin leans down to the side of her head, stopping just above Minjeong’s ear. “ _ **Call for him**_.”

Minjeong swallows thickly before heeding to her command. “H-Hello, Vice-Chairman Choi?” 

“ _What the…did you hear that? Where is my—what the fuck?_ ”

“ _ **Answer.**_ ”

“I-It’s Minjeong. You c-called, Sir?” She couldn’t hide the stammer in her voice. It was impossible with the lips tracing her jaw. 

“ _Ah,_ ” A nervous chuckle. ” _I did? I…uh, yes, I called about the—the planner! Yes, is it with you?_ ”

“It’s with me, S-Sir.”

The open-mouthed kisses started on her throat, trailing downwards to the juncture of her neck and shoulders. Minjeong shudders at the feeling of a warm breath, head spinning at the tongue that darted on her skin, and the hands that trailed up and down her sides. If Jimin was there to coach her on what to say next, she was doing a terrible job. 

“ _Okay. Uh, where are you? I kind of need it…like right now._ ”

It was odd to hear Soobin stuttering with his words. He was always sounded so confident and full of authority. It doesn’t make Jimin happy, and she snatches the phone from Minjeong’s hand, still keeping the call on speaker. 

“She’s with me,” She answers, feigning the sweetness but not the spite. “You need anything, Jagiya?”

“ _Oh, hi Jagi! No, it’s okay, I can go without it—_ “

“Hmm, are you sure? We’re already wrapping up and ready to leave so that we can stop by the office for you.”

“ _I’m not at the office—_ “

“Oh? _So where are you_?” the model asks accusingly, and it has Minjeong widening her eyes. 

God, she was going to get caught up with them again. 

“ _I—I mean, I am in the office, Jagi._ ”

“Then it’s settled,” Jimin snaps at him. “We’re seeing you in ten minutes.”

The call ends with Jimin shoving the phone into her bag, putting the closest thing she could grab over her head, and slipping on her jeans from earlier. Minjeong watches the model apply some lipstick and suddenly pulls her cardigan over her neck; there were probably marks. Without another word, Jimin takes Minjeong’s hand in hers, dragging her out the room and up the stairs to the exit. 

Aeri looks at them questioningly, and Minjeong could only wave goodbye, the sight of the studio disappearing as they get out the door. After slipping into the Mercedes, the secretary sinks into her seat, starting to feel terrified with the murderous look on Jimin’s face. 

“Let’s pay your boss a visit, hmm?”


	4. Her Keeper

Getting into trouble was never Minjeong's thing. Rules were easy to follow, and she sees no point in breaking them. Obeying has always had its reward, and the opposite had its punishment. But what if there were no rules? No rules meant no right and no wrong, so what then would be the basis of disobeying, the basis of punishment? 

Jimin's intentions were hard to follow, in short, unclear, but despite that, Minjeong still looked forward to seeing her and the special attention she would receive, her attraction only growing as time goes on. As for the touches, she'd take them as they are, but with consternation. No rules, right? Minjeong was free to like whatever she wanted, so why was she feeling trapped all of a sudden? Maybe this was her punishment.

The younger girl anticipated a lot of screaming, hair-pulling, broken furniture, among others. And everything ugly when it came to busting a cheater, everything except sitting in his office with the thick tension in the air that was practically smothering her. To say that Minjeong was out of place in that room was an understatement. She was supposed to leave earlier after dropping Soobin's tablet off, but Jimin insisted she stayed. 

That's how she ended up sorting documents on an extra table adjacent to her boss. Soobin was agitated in his seat from her peripheral vision, often chewing on the cap of his pen while smashing his fingers on the keyboard. She couldn't blame him. His wife had chosen to sit beside Minjeong, making her three feet away from him and an arm's length away from his mistress, who was also present to do paperwork. 

Minjeong frightfully waited for Jimin to drop her bomb, seeing how she looked at everyone like a preying hawk. By now, she should've noticed that Soobin's hair wasn't in its neat shape and that Yuri had skipped a button on her blouse. If only Minjeong opted to go home, Jimin certainly would've allowed that this morning. 

"Can you get me a glass of water, please?" 

She drops the documents at Jimin's request and is about to stand, but a hand holds down on her thigh. 

"I want _Yuri-ssi_ to kindly get it for me," Jimin says, her tone carrying some edge to it. 

With a small sigh of irritation, Yuri fakes a smile and gets up for the water dispenser. It stood by the office door, and in no time, she sets a paper cup in front of the model. Jimin takes one look at it before sliding it to the side and feigning an apologetic face. 

"I change my mind. I want a Frappuccino instead—"

"The cafeteria doesn't serve those," Yuri intervenes, stating as if it were the most obvious thing. Jimin wasn't pleased about that.

"There's a Starbucks across the street," She snaps, and Minjeong jump ever so slightly. "I'm sure you can line up there and get one for yourself, too." 

"Of course, _Mrs. Choi_."

After a tight-lipped smile and a nod, Yuri turns to her heel and begrudgingly makes her way out the door. Once out of sight, Jimin scoffs under her breath and squeezes onto Minjeong's thigh, the latter tensing up in response.

"Jagi, what are you doing here?" Soobin asks, turning his chair around to face them.

Minjeong keeps her head down to hide her panicked expression, if her boss tried, he could easily see through the glass table she worked on, yet Jimin doesn't let go. The hand starts to trail the inside of her thigh. 

"I came to see my husband. I didn't think it would be a crime."

"We both know you have places to be," Soobin calmly explains. "Minjeong, you should've told her to just drop you off. Go on, tell her where she needs to be right now."

Shakily, Minjeong reaches for the spare tablet that was presented to her earlier. Fingers are quickly locating the file with the model's name on it, only stopping when nails dig into her skin warningly. 

"Like I said, I wanted to see you, so don't blame this on Minjeong," Jimin grits out icily. "I have only been with her for half a day, and you're already treating her like my keeper."

"She might as well be if she can get you to go to work," The vice-chairman retorts. "Minjeong?"

"Mrs. Choi has a meeting with Calvin Klein," Minjeong reads off timidly. The couple's burning gaze on her was starting to get uncomfortable. "It's for an ad to be shot in Miami this Saturday."

Jimin hums and looks at Soobin expectedly. "Have you packed for that yet?"

He shakes his head and turns back to his computer. "No, I won't be going with you."

"What, why not?" Jimin demanded with a hint of disappointment. "You've always gone with me to Miami."

"I'm sure you'll do fine on your own, and besides, I've got things to do around here."

Minjeong resists the urge to roll her eyes. To do had one too many meanings behind it, and Jimin knew of that well enough. She watches as anger starts to settle on Jimin, cheeks puffing up and the vein on her neck popping up. 

"First, you freak out when I arrive here to see you, and second, you're not coming with me to Miami? Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Whatever game Jimin was trying to play, the younger girl wasn't getting it. She knew Soobin was sleeping around with Yuri, yet she refuses to simply accuse him of it, or leave him at least. There had to be a reason apart from her _love_ towards Soobin that's keeping her from doing so, and Minjeong wasn't sure if she wanted to stay to find out or not. 

"I told you, I have things to do around here, and so do you," Soobin's tone starts to raise, but it doesn't scare his wife one bit. "I suggest you go to that meeting right now."

"Oh, I will," Jimin stands up from her seat, the fire in her eyes far from subsiding. "And I'm taking Minjeong with me this weekend."

_ She was taking me where now? _

"Good choice," was the vice-chairman's simple reply as he starts typing away. 

The model glares at him one last time before grabbing her bag and walking out the door. Minjeong, still frozen from what she just encountered, looks in between her boss and his wife, who was already walking away. 

_ Do I follow her or stay here? _

"Minjeong-ah!"

_ Follow it is. _

She quickly gathers her things to her chest and runs out the door, but not before awkwardly bidding Soobin to have a nice remainder of the day. She catches up to Jimin near the elevators, her foot tapping impatiently for the doors to open. When they do, Yuri walks out with the Frappuccino in her hands. She looked surprised to see them. 

"Mrs. Choi, here it is."

Jimin smiles gratefully and receives the cup. She removes the lid, looking down on the cold drink before thrusting her hand forward, spilling it all over Yuri's front side. Minjeong gasps and clamps a hand over her mouth; she wasn't expecting that. And Jimin doesn't stop there. Her hand finds its way to Yuri's collar, yanking it upwards, forcing the secretary to face her instead of her soiled clothes. 

"I can smell you on him," She whispers lowly into her ear. "And for the record, he prefers jasmine over honeysuckle." 

Upon releasing her hold, Jimin saunters into the elevator. She waits patiently for Minjeong, who cautiously followed suit, and watches as Yuri stood motionless with coffee still dripping from her clothes before the elevator doors slide shut.

////

It was the day for their flight to Miami, and because of how sudden it was, Minjeong had forgotten to tell her roommate all about it. 

"Okay, so you're going to America, but it isn't a vacation you're going on without me?" Ningning clarifies, pouting at Minjeong, who was securing her suitcase with a padlock. 

"It's not, Ningning. It's solely for work."

"Ooh, so what are you going to do there?"

Minjeong takes a pause. Yeah, whatwas she going to do there?

"I'm not quite sure yet, but I'm going to be with my boss's wife," She answers, then reaches into her back pocket when her phone chimes. 

Ningning makes a face. "That's weird. Do you think I'd be able to do that when I get a job?"

"You will once you've filled out that resume so I can send it to Aeri-unnie," Minjeong quickly taps on her phone before putting it away, lugging her suitcase towards the door. "I have to go now, and please, try not to burn the house down."

"Pfft, I won't," her roommate waves off.

"Good. I'll see you next week, Ning Yizhuo!"

When she's made it out of her apartment building, Minjeong is greeted by Soobin's SUV. A driver steps out to open the door for her, and he takes the suitcase to the back. 

"Good morning, Unnie," She greets upon slipping in the vehicle. 

Minjeong hasn't seen the model since the day she was dropped off, and she wasn't surprised that Jimin was still in a sour mood. She was giving off an intimidating aura right now, but it was mainly because of the sunglass that blocked Minjeong from seeing Jimin's expression. 

"Morning," Jimin replies groggily, sighing deeply into her seat. She didn't look like she was in the mood to talk, so Minjeong keeps silent during the entire ride to the airport. 

The moment the car was parked, they were immediately escorted inside by a security team. The pair meets Lee Chaeryeong, Jimin's happy-go-lucky manager, and Jung Sungchan, Jimin's ridiculously tall personal bodyguard for the trip. Together, they queued in line and went through security, Chaeryeong's bright personality saving the group from complete silence. 

Not long after, the quartet makes it pass their gate and boards into the plane. They shuffle through the economy and business class, reaching first-class before Chaeryeong and Sungchan parts ways with them. Jimin allows Minjeong to squeeze in first before she takes buckles herself in her seat and takes her sunglasses off. 

The younger girl couldn't help but stare in awe at her bare-faced beauty. There wasn't much difference from Jimin's everyday look, she wouldn't be caked with makeup unless needed, yet it still had Minjeong's breath taken away. She internally curses at Soobin for replacing Jimin with somebody who couldn't compare.

"Do I have something on my face?"

She feels a blush tinting her face, struggling to get the compliment out of her mouth. 

"No. You're just really pretty, Unnie."

The intimidating façade falls of Jimin's face when she breaks into a chuckle, combing her hand through her dark hair. 

"I know," A smug smile plasters on the model's face, showing off a cute dimple. "It takes a daily effort."

Minjeong snorts, knowing that it was a complete lie. Even in a simple tracksuit, Jimin looked like she was ready for the runway. Her face alone was enough to outsell the other models. 

At the announcement for takeoff, nervousness starts to stream inside Minjeong. From her research, South Korea to Miami, Florida was almost a whole sixteen hours. It wasn't that she was scared of flying, the long duration did, but her seatmate was starting to show signs that she did. Jimin began to chew on her bottom lip and claw on the padded armrest, already squirming in her seat. 

"Unnie, are you okay?" Minjeong asks, laughing quietly at how easily Jimin could shift her cold demeanor into a soft one. 

"I'm fine, I just…get scared whenever I fly. It's why I have Soobin with me…"

Oh.

"…do you mind?" 

A soft hand slips into hers, and Minjeong finds it ridiculous that Jimin had to ask since she never bothered to before. 

"It's alright, whatever calms you down."

"Good," Jimin sighs out happily, letting go of Minjeong's hand so she could link their arms together and resting her head on Minjeong's shoulder. "I won't be letting go until the flight is over."

Again, Minjeong is amazed at how Jimin's demeanor could change so fast. One moment, she was dead set on getting some sleep, and the next, she is cutting off blood circulation on Minjeong's arm whenever the plane goes through turbulence. 

Minjeong tried playing some music or talking about the shoot in an attempt to calm her down, but nothing seemed to work until a move is put on the screen. It's where she learns that Jimin was a sucker for romance films and an avid eater of junk food. With their arms still interlocked, she managed to devour two cans of Pringles while her eyes were glued on _The Notebook_ that was being streamed.

Every now and then, Jimin would make a disapproved comment about the character's decisions, whining whenever a frustrating scene came up and attempting to snuggle closer to Minjeong. And she didn't mind. If it meant to see this side of Jimin and getting close to her without feeling so guilty, then she'd stay on that flight forever. 

Sadly, it ended faster than she expected. After another movie and a long talk about nice it would be to have a pet cat, they ended up sleeping throughout the whole flight, which ended up messing with Minjeong's body clock. It was 11 PM when they arrived at Miami's international airport, and midnight by the time they reached their hotel. Apparently, Minjeong would be sharing a suite with Jimin, but she didn't care at the moment. She was too jet-lagged to bother and had to be assisted by Sungchan to their room. 

While Jimin wasn't used to flying, she was used to the different time zones. She looks down with pity on the younger girl that laid on the king-sized bed, brushing away the blonde stands that covered her face. 

"You should get some rest, Minjeong-ah."

She struggles to push herself up from the bed, but Jimin holds her down with a confused look. 

"Where are you going?"

"This is your bed."

Jimin shakes her head. "Stay there. There's enough space for the two of us."

Having no more energy to fight, Minjeong nods and gets comfortable on the bed. Jimin wasn't crazy enough to do anything in her sleep, right? She's pulled out of her sleepy state when the model walks across the room. Jimin stops at the rack of clothes, trailing her fingers over the hangers. It takes her a while to notice that they weren't clothes, and instead hangers of undergarments that sported the brand's logo, all in different colors and designs. 

Jimin pulls one off the rack, inspecting the cotton material of the grey pair. "I'm glad they're allowing me to keep these, and I'm super excited for the shoot tomorrow."

A wink comes flying her way, piercing straight through Minjeong's chest, settling down a fuzzy feeling she couldn't quite explain. 

_ Whatever _ , she thought. _Give me all you've got, Miami._


	5. Twilight Zone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE, PLEASE SKIP THIS CHAPTER!!!
> 
> If you're good, then go ahead I guess lol.

Perfection. The condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects. 

Ethereal. Extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

Forever. Minjeong could keep listing off words forever if forever meant that Jimin would always be under the glow of the Miami sun. 

Those were her first few thoughts when she wakes to Jimin's face, just inches away from hers. Thanks to the curtains drawn to the side, the morning light seeps in through the balcony and casts a heavenly image on her sleeping figure; and Minjeong liked that a lot. In a way, it showed how dynamic Jimin could be to fit any concept. Just days ago, she encountered the girl's different sides: the good, the bad, the hot, the cold, the rare glimpse of warmth. But she understood because everybody had their own as well. 

Minjeong personally liked the warm side of her. Behind the camera, she was Yoo Jimin, exuding confidence in every move, captivating the attention of many with her superior visuals and the predatory gleam in her eyes. But in the camera's absence, she was simply Jimin, that dork that jumped at the smallest things, who threw a mini tantrum when ketchup had been drizzled all over her fries, fawning over the birds along the beach while stopping to take pictures with the flowers every few steps. 

She was the spring after winter molded into a person, but Minjeong had to agree that summer looked good on her, too.

Jimin was sprawled out on a towel near the shoreline, allowing the sun's flare to wash entirely over her. Her hair tousled to the side and styled to give off a wet look. The actual saltwater sprinkled over her body, some rolling off her sides and some allowing the little fabrics she had on to stick onto her skin. Her teeth sank on her rose-colored lips as she posed for the camera to her side, angling her head to certain positions with half-lidded eyes.

Eventually, those eyes find Minjeong's. They drop past her face to blatantly staring at the outlined figure, being sure to trace every single curve of the younger girl's body before finding her eyes again. Jimin gives her a weary gaze, and Minjeong, who was flushed pink, could only return one of sympathy while shaking the bottle of water she was holding.

It was nearing noon when the shoot had started. The unrelenting heat overlaid the entire beach, forcing everybody, except Jimin and the camera crew, under big umbrellas and half a bottle of sunscreen, at least, that was what happened to Minjeong. Not only was she smothered in sunscreen, but also in a swimsuit, thanks to Chaeryeong's persistence. 

"You've gotta get into that Florida vibe, Minjeong."

The secretary didn't have much of a choice but to slip into the nylon one-piece, pretending she was there for a mini-vacation while she was at it. Minjeong was simply there to watch over Jimin, right? Actually, no, to provide company? That still didn't sound right. There were more than enough people here to keep her company; a few were even friendly enough to say hello, and one, a little too friendly.

"Which agency do you come from?" 

He stood almost six feet tall, not hard to miss, especially with his candy pink hair. Minjeong had noticed him earlier with the others during a group shot, eyeing her whenever he could. 

"Sorry for the sudden question," He chuckles. "I'm just curious. I've never seen you around here before."

"I'm not a model."

"Oh? Well, you look like one," A grin plants itself on his puppyish face. "Yellow is a great color on you."

"Thanks," Minjeong mumbles and shyly faces away. 

"Are you with somebody here?"

She nods curtly. "I'm with Jimin-unnie." 

"Ahh, so you're keeping her company then?" The model asks, glancing around them. "Because, you know, I don't see Soobin around."

"Yes, that's my job." 

"Interesting. I'm Hendery, by the way."

Hendery offers a hand, and Minjeong takes it with a firm handshake.

"Minjeong."

"Well, Minjeong," Hendery's hand slips out of hers to wrap around her shoulders. "As you can see, Miss Yoo Jimin—no, Mrs. Choi over there doesn't look like she needs company at the moment."

The boy gestures to where the shoot was taking place, Minjeong follows. Jimin was already sitting up with Sungchan holding an umbrella over her head while a makeup artist does some touching up. She appeared to be searching for someone. 

"So I was thinking maybe we can get to know each other, grab something to eat."

"I can't. I have to be with her," Minjeong tries to push his arm off, but Hendery holds her closer. 

"It's not going to take long," He insists. "I know a good place—"

"I'm don't want to," Minjeong cuts off, wincing lightly at how heavy his arm was becoming.

"Trust me. You're going to love it—"

" _Hendery,_ it's your turn."

The grip on her shoulders falls slack; hendery peers over his shoulder and gives a wave.

"Jimin-ssi! Mind if I borrow this cutie for a bit?"

"You should go," Jimin's stern tone has the male model moving his feet, and because of how authoritative it sounded, Minjeong almost follows.

"I'm going, I'm going," Hendery says with his arms up in surrender as he passes his colleague, but stops to quickly turn around and points towards the sand. "If you ever change your mind, I'll be right here, Minjeong!"

Jimin scoffs and rolls her eyes, taking a step closer to the secretary and wiping off some sweat from her forehead. "They love him for his determination and efforts."

"I can see that," Minjeong quickly opens the bottle and hands it over. "Here, drink. You've been under the sun long enough."

The older girl takes the bottle with a grateful smile and hastily raises it to her lips to drink. Minjeong proceeds to use her hand to fan around Jimin's neck, using the other to bring the dark hair behind her ear, and for a split-second, Jimin tenses up. Though the reaction could've passed as nothing, Minjeong draws her hands back.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is," Jimin dismisses with a small smile, allowing the half-empty bottle to fall on the fine sand. "Let's go for a walk."

A slender hand finds hers and starts to tug her along, but Minjeong resists, looking back at the lively crowd who were busy taking pictures. 

"What about them?"

"They're allowed to miss me for a while, and Chaeryeong's bound to find us, anyway."

Jimin doesn't let her say anymore and pulls the younger girl close as they walked by the shoreline. The sand crunched softly under their sandals, getting flooded underwater whenever the tide came up. Despite the heat, there was a constant breeze that blew, giving some sort of relief to their warm skin. 

Minjeong could hear the model speaking but can't seem to focus on what she was saying. It was probably the waves' hushed roaring, the whirring of the wind that made Jimin's words sound muffled. Yeah, it wasn't because the sunlight was hitting Jimin in all the right places or her dark hair that bounced with every step they took. Certainly wasn't the dimples on her back that almost made Minjeong trip on her own two feet. Maybe it was because they were running. 

Wait, why were they running?

"Unnie!" Minjeong shrieked as the cold waves splashed all over her. "Unnie, wait a sec!"

The model doesn't listen, only giving her the brightest and most mischievous smile Minjeong has ever seen, dragging them deeper into the water. She doesn't stop, not until the water was already halfway up her chest and the poor girl is clinging onto her. 

"At least try to look like you're having fun, Minjeong-ah," Jimin teases, rubbing gently on the death grip on her shoulders.

"It's too deep," She whined, making Jimin chuckle. "I thought we were going on a walk."

"It's not deep! Plus, what good would your swimsuit be if you didn't get in?" 

Despite Minjeong's protests, Jimin takes them a few inches deeper. The water was now up to their chests, and much to Minjeong's chagrin, she holds onto the model's body for dear life. 

"Please, can we go back?" Minjeong begged. "I can't really swim, Unnie."

"Soobin says he can't swim either but gets in the water with me anyway."

"The vice-chairman is as tall as a Christmas tree! I'm not!"

Minjeong watches as Jimin laughs again before turning to her with a soft expression. This was the first time she initiated their closeness, and having Jimin look at her like that has her face heating up, but with both their faces turning pink from the sun, hopefully, Jimin wouldn't take notice. 

"Hmm, you're right. With you being this tiny, you'd easily be swept away by the water."

Jimin attempts to break the hold on her, resulting in the younger girl thrashing around. 

"Unnie, I'm serious, don't let me go!"

Finally adhering to her request, Jimin drops her arms underwater and wraps securely around Minjeong's waist.

"You really don't like the water, hmm?"

Minjeong shakes her head furiously, and Jimin has to take hold of her chin just to stop her, resting her forehead on hers. In their current position, Minjeong was left with no choice but to look into those brown eyes. They were once filled with mischief, now hinted with tenderness and the color amber.

"Alright. As long as you're holding on, I'm not letting you go."

/////

The balcony doors were open, allowing a cool breeze to seep in, yet the room was relatively still. With the sun setting, the white hotel room was covered in the remainder of its yellow light, allowing an inert atmosphere to settle. There were no loud noises, definitely not from the height of their room, and it has Minjeong's eyes starting to droop again.

She tried to fight off the drowsiness, having already enjoyed a nap of two hours, but she couldn't help it. There was a phantom feeling of heavy weight all over her body, as if it was taking the place of the energy she's spent in the water. And despite hours passing by, her skin still warm for being under the heat for two hours or so. From what she remembered prior to succumbing to a nap, Jimin was still alert enough for a full shower and disappeared into the bathroom. 

Right now, she was seated on the sofas that the suite had, glaring intensely on her phone. Minjeong had noticed her doing so the moment they got back from the beach but refused to say anything about it. Deep down, she knew it was about Soobin. She also noticed that Jimin wasn't in pajamas like she was. The model looked like she was ready to go out somewhere, and whatever non-existent text Soobin had sent was holding her back.

Her hair was now free of any saltwater, cascading freely past her shoulders, and her face in the slightest touch of makeup. She had gold hoops hanging on her ears and necklaces of the same shade around her neck while her fingers busily fiddled with one of the pendants. On her fit figure was a sleeveless maroon dress, entirely printed with white flowers and a checkered fur coat.

Minjeong had already taken note of how much Jimin adored flowers, and she thinks it's adorable. She also thinks it's time for her to get out of bed, so she does so and walks over to where Jimin was. Immediately, the scowl on her face is replaced with a smile, a dimple popping out of her cheek. 

"You rested well?" She asks, tossing her phone to the side.

"I have," Minjeong answers with a tiny yawn, sliding down on the sofa across the model. "I assume you're going out?" 

"I was thinking of going down to get us some food, but then I'd get caught up with the team, and you'd be all alone."

"Just go, I'll be fine here," the younger girl gestures to the TV and refrigerator, making Jimin snort and shake her head.

"No. I brought you here with me. I need to make sure you're having a good time."

"I am."

Whatever the model planned to say next remains forgotten. The sun decided to shift its light a little lower, and now it was all over Jimin's face, causing her to lean back and squint her eyes. However, she excitedly fetches the phone that was cast aside and passed it to Minjeong. 

"Quick, while the sun's still here!"

She accepts the phone but looks at Jimin with uncertainty. "I'm not good at this."

"Go on, just take a few," Jimin insisted with an encouraging smile. "Whatever the result is, I'll take it as how you see me."

With a nod, Minjeong props the phone up, swiping for the camera app. She takes a sample photo first, with Jimin looking off out the window. Her next shot was when Jimin leans to her side and looks straight into the camera, and Minjeong freezes up. 

Her beauty was just so timeless, seamlessly fitting into any concept given to her. She definitely owned the summer, and now she was back to being spring. It was so…Jimin. From her looks down to personality whenever she wished to be in her warmer side. 

It infuriated a part of Minjeong that it was Soobin who got to see most of that, that it was him waking up every morning beside her, and the fact that he simply pushed her aside, all those years ago, in favor of others. If it were her, she'd never look at anybody else, she'd call and ask how the shoot went, she'd buy her all the flowers in the world, she'd never let Jimin go. But that was just wishful thinking. There was no way Minjeong could say that, especially when she was never hers, to begin with.

Pushing those selfish thoughts to the side, she carries on with taking pictures, eager to preserve the moments she'd probably never see again once the trip was over. They move around the living space, and Minjeong tries to capture as much while the natural light was still around. Not long after, they found themselves seated on the bed where the sun had entirely faded, scrolling through the photo gallery feeling and Minjeong feeling a little proud about herself. Jimin scoots beside the girl, resting her chin on her shoulder to see the screen. 

"Hey, those aren't bad at all!"

Minjeong lets out a relieved sigh. "I tried."

"No, I'm serious! Soobin could never! Jimin exclaimed, gently taking the phone back. _Of course, he couldn't_. "Where were you when I needed you, Minjeong-ah?"

"Well, I'm here now for when you do," Minjeong replies casually, playing with the sleeves of her pajamas.

"As you should," the older girl hums, then angles the phone to Minjeong's direction. "Now, stay still and look this way, please."

For a moment, she does, then proceeds to shield her face with her hair. She didn't mind getting pictures taken of her, but this was Jimin behind the camera, and that made a huge difference. 

"Aw, Minjeong-ah, stop hiding and look over!"

"I don't want to."

The bed dips, and she stiffens up, feeling a hand on her shoulder and another cupping her cheek, forcing her head to turn around. It was a habit of Jimin's that wasn't hard for her to pick up. The older girl simply liked keeping eye contact whenever she spoke to somebody, and Minjeong just takes it as a sign of respect for both parties. It still doesn't fail to make her heart skip beats whenever she did that.

"You shouldn't hide your pretty face," Jimin taps on her cheek lightly. "Especially from me. Understood?"

Nodding, Minjeong allows the intense gaze to swallow her up, oblivious to the model's face that inched closer and closer. Her breath is taken away when Jimin presses their lips together into a slow kiss, her tongue coaxing the inside of her mouth. It elicits an unintentional moan from Minjeong, her brain turning to mush when Jimin sighs into the kiss. 

She attempts for a deeper one, hands shifting to hold the back of the younger girl's head to keep her steady as she pushes them down on the mattress. It earns her a surprised yelp, and suddenly realizing what was going on, Minjeong pushes her away. Her saliva-coated lips quivered as she breathed harshly through her nose, wide eyes looking at Jimin bewildered. 

"Sorry—"

"W-We shouldn't be doing this," Minjeong blurts out.

"But you like it," Jimin cuts her off, smirking when she sees a blush rising on Minjeong's cheeks. She adjusts herself on her elbows and is about to dive in for another kiss, but Minjeong stops her by the chest.

"We're going to get caught by—"

"By who, _Soobin_?" The model cocks her head to the side. "You shouldn't be afraid of that _. We're not going to be like him._ "

Sure, given the circumstances, and if they were careful enough, they wouldn't get caught so easily. But it doesn't change the fact that they were just as bad as Soobin was, doing things that shouldn't have been done in the first place behind closed doors.

"Why are we doing this?" The question that long since plagued Minjeong's mind finally rolls off her tongue. "Why are you messing around with me like this?"

The expectations of Jimin pulling away from her dies down at the sight of her unreadable expression morphing into a softer one.

"I want you, and you want me, too," Jimin answers simply, making Minjeong gawk at her. 

"What makes you so sure about that?" 

"Why don't we forget about the certainties of things for a minute, hmm?"

Jimin smashes their lips into a hungry kiss, teeth almost clashing with gusto. For a second, Minjeong hesitates to return it, seeing how whatever she was going to engage in, there was no going back, no more returning to the normal she was used to. 

_Was this really okay?_

But when the warm tongue traces along her bottom lip and the nails drag all over her abdomen, practically begging her to return the favor, she obliges. She slowly brings her hands up to the padded shoulders, hesitant to hold on to it in the way they were right now. Sensing her resistance, Jimin pulls away.

"If you don't want to, we can stop here," Jimin whispers huskily, bringing up her hand to caress on the younger girl's face. 

She would never dare to go that far without proper consent; she wasn't like that. But she swears she saw a flash of desire in those doe eyes before the replacement of disappointment. She bites back the urge to laugh, settling for a smirk instead. 

"I need to hear you say it, Minjeong-ah."

The younger girl swallows thickly, face burning at the request. She would be risking everything after one answer, and she wouldn't know what would happen next due to Jimin's unpredictable nature. She'd have to be there and find out herself. Was she ready for that?

"Don't stop."

It's all it takes for Jimin to slide her further up the bed, attacking whatever was exposed of Minjeong's throat. Her hands wander around Minjeong's torso, holding onto the plaid pajama top she had given her a week ago, before forcefully parting the thin fabric and sending its buttons flying everywhere.

"I'll buy you a new one," Jimin promises, giving Minjeong's bruising lips a chaste kiss then shrugging her jacket off. 

The pajama bottoms were kicked off, followed by the simple unclasp of the flimsy white bra, and the only thing that saved Minjeong from being completely naked was the matching white underwear. Being under the model's sharp stare has Minjeong feeling self-conscious, her arms threatening to cover up, but Jimin catches her just as she does. 

"You're not hiding anything from me."

At the warning, her movements stop. Jimin discreetly hovers a hand over her breast, settling down a gentle squeeze and Minjeong chokes out a whimper. Lips start to trail from her neck and going past her collarbones, sucking and licking everything it came across. The younger girl shuddered, feeling hot from all the touches and feeling cold from the evening breeze that nipped on her skin. 

Jimin takes her pace, enjoying the strangled noises coming from Minjeong every time she flicked a finger over her nipple while drawing lazy patterns all over her inner thigh. Once she felt the nub harden between her fingers, she leans down, clamping her mouth around it. 

A muffled moan resonates around them when Jimin takes the nipple between her teeth, giving it a slight tug and licking all over. Her hand stops with the patterns, choosing to go elsewhere this time, landing right over the clothed core that was starting to drip. They both feel it, the wet spot that was forming on the thin material. Jimin presses down harder, and Minjeong threads her fingers through the dark hair. 

"J-Jimin-unnie," Minjeong gasps, feeling the model's fingers run circles around her crotch. 

Her breathing was labored, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood in an attempt to conceal her noises. Jimin releases her chest, skin feeling sticky with sweat and saliva, and reaches for her face. 

"Let Unnie hear you, Minjeong-ah."

The panties were pushed to the side, and Jimin's fingers come into contact with her wet heat. Minjeong's mouth drops open, releasing a sharp cry of pleasure from all the sensations on her body. There were too many things to focus on. There were tingles on her chest where a pair of lips were used to be, the fingers that moved expertly around the opening of her core, the knot that was forming in her stomach...

The younger girl throws her head back, her breathy moans filled the room, and it sounded like music to Jimin's ears. It was such a sight to see those blown out eyes looking at her in desperation, body trembling whenever she'd tease the tips of her fingers into the sopping hole, thumb occasionally padding the pearl that peeked in between the nether lips. 

"Unnie, I…" Minjeong claws on the model's shoulders, leaving red streaks on the pale skin. 

"You what?" Jimin asks, smiling amusedly at the younger girl who wriggled on the sheets.

Her hand squeezes on Minjeong's chest while the other circles the outer walls of the wet heat one last time before plunging two fingers inside, burying them knuckles deep. The body below her goes rigid, and the nails on her shoulders sink deeper. Jimin hisses out the pain as she watches Minjeong choke on her words, her fingers pumping in and out mercilessly. 

"Unnie, Jimin-unnie, Jimin—" Minjeong repeats in breathless whispers, the mantra that drives the older girl to work her harder, faster, and deeper. "Jimin-unnie, slow do—oh god!"

White light dances in her vision, blurring out the unwavering gaze Jimin had set on her. Her heart beats violently against her ribcage, almost feeling like it would burst out at any moment, and the knot on her stomach tightens just as her walls did around the fingers that worked at an ungodly pace. 

_This is real, and this is insane,_ were among the millions of thoughts that raced Minjeong's mind when she feels Jimin's hand run up and down her torso, being sure to graze her nails over her breasts whenever she had the chance while the other adjusts to slower, fuller thrusts. Everything already felt surreal, even more so when Jimin adds a third finger just as she thrusts back in, and Minjeong loses it. 

A feverish heat covers her from head to toe _,_ the knot in her stomach finally being released. Her body convulsed at the feeling of something gushing out of her but is ultimately plugged up by the fingers still inside. Minjeong struggles to catch her breath, her heart still pounding like crazy, and it fills her eardrums. Jimin slowly slips her fingers out and holds it up; her breathing labored at how slick they were with Minjeong's juices. 

She turns to see the younger girl in an impressive shade of red, gaping at her own undoing that was clearly dripping down on the sheets. A satisfied smile plasters on Jimin's face as she takes the back of her _clean_ hand to wipe off the sweat that formed on Minjeong's hairline, then bringing it down to her cheek. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Jimin softens up when Minjeong nods, leaning closer to her touch. The doe eyes look at her tiredly, and she hurries to keep them open. "Ah, ah, not yet, Minjeong-ah. We still have a long night ahead of us."

(a/n: if you see this, go touch some grass and drink some holy water or something)


	6. Miss You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!!!! First part contains mature content!!!!!!! If you don't like it, please scroll until you see a bunch of dash marks haha.

_"Getting sensitive, are we?"_

_"Please," She pleaded, writhing beneath the burning touch. "I can't—"_

_Minjeong resisted from digging her nails any deeper into Jimin's bare shoulders, the pale skin already streaked with enough red lines and crescent moons. The words failed to leave her mouth, getting caught up in her throat as a moan bubbles to take its place. She wets her lips, feeling how chapped they were from struggling to catch her breath while tasting the faint hints of cherry lip gloss, chest heaving as the knot in her stomach threatens to unfold once again._

_"You can," Jimin taunts, "You have to."_

_She looked down on Minjeong expectedly, watching the doe eyes go glassy and her pretty mouth, perfectly stained with spit and lip gloss, fall open and close. Its owner ultimately decides to keep it open to let out a sound when Jimin slowly pulls her fingers out, just to thrust them back in abruptly._

_"Oh—Unnie!" Minjeong yelps with a shudder._

_She blinks once, twice, vision blurring with the tears from holding back from her release. Jimin's tempo of choice being nowhere near helpful. Her eyes squeeze shut as she feels the warning of Jimin's teeth grazing the skin on her throat, tongue in tow. Jimin shifts above her, feeling the warm breath on the side of her face._

_"Not yet," Jimin mumbles, licking along the shell of Minjeong's ear. "Hold on a little longer."_

_The model presses a kiss on Minjeong's cheek before accelerating the pace of her hand, feeling the body underneath her moving along. It was difficult yet easy; Minjeong's walls closing tightly around her fingers, aided by her juices that were practically pooling the sheets. As Jimin draws herself back to drink in the erotic visual of the younger girl, the hands on her shoulders break free and wrap around her neck, pulling her closer._

_“Look at me, Minjeong-ah.”_

_Minjeong struggled to obey her command. There was no way she could look straight into those dark eyes without letting go and passing out on the spot. Even in her blurred-out haze, she could still make out the features of Jimin's gorgeous face. That's right, focus on the angel whose hair has been messily slicked back, her parted lips with little to no more lip gloss, the mole on her chin that made her a thousand times more attractive…not her hand that had angled in a certain way, allowing her fingers to reach deeper depths._

_The ragged breathing paired with a throaty moan was the indicator of Minjeong slipping into her bliss. With her arms around Jimin's neck, she unintentionally pulls her even closer, desperate to feel something else apart from what felt like fireworks raging in her chest and the tingles that ran down her bottom half._

_"Minjeong-ah," Jimin whispers against her shoulders. "Minjeong-ah, relax and—"_

The hot liquid scorching her skin shakes Minjeong back to reality, the coffee spilling over the mug's rim. Minjeong takes a sharp breath from the burning sensation on her fingers and from the fact that she's made a mess. She could feel Yuri's eyes shooting daggers into her back and hears a faint scoff from behind her. She rolled her eyes as she set the mug down on the counter beside the dispenser and reached for a paper towel to clean.

Once finished, Minjeong wobbles her way to Soobin's desk with his coffee in her hands. She didn't know why, but her head swayed with every step she took, and her arms suddenly felt like jelly. It makes her place the mug down in a rather loud way, making Yuri turn to her again and Soobin looking at her with odd concern.

"Are you okay, Minjeong?"

"I'm all good, Sir," she answers before turning her back to get herself seated on the spare table in the room.

Yuri held her glare the entire time, and it takes great effort for Minjeong not to glare back. On top of how odd it was that Yuri was still around even after last week's encounter, the girl just had to sit beside the vice-chairman, as if being on his left side was the only spot left to be in. Choosing to ignore her co-worker, Minjeong goes back to her task, which was filing reports to Chairman Yeonjun about Soobin's whereabouts for the last week. When Minjeong was new, she never questioned the detailed itinerary reports to be submitted to the vice-chairman's older brother. It wasn't until she became a witness to his daily activities when she started to understand a little.

_Lunch and dinner dates with Jimin, sightseeing in Gokseong Village_ , _rescheduled tennis match with Wong Yukhei,_ finished off with a series _in office_. The number of lies that were on the report has Minjeong chewing the inside of her cheek. Almost all dates were canceled with Jimin prior to leaving for Miami, and there were no reschedules with Mr. Wong. The sightseeing was probably to look at houses again, and everything else in between was most likely omitted for obvious reasons. But now that she's done similar things, it felt like she didn't have the right to judge them from hiding, and it forms an unsettling pit inside her. 

As if it has dawned upon her like first light, her heart beats erratically. Minjeong wondered if Soobin ever thought something was going on between his wife and secretary. Maybe the man was too busy with his other secretary to even care, but the possibility of him knowing would always be there. Soobin had power and was a pretty smart guy, just dumb to overlook Jimin. But in the pretty slim chance of them getting caught, Minjeong had nothing to lose other than her job and dignity.

Nevertheless, she wasn't going to use that as an excuse to continue whatever entanglement she had going on with Jimin, as tempting as it was. 

Wait, was she _actually_ considering that now? 

The more prominent beats against her ribcage answer her, and the physical reaction triggers a pulsating feeling on her just below her left collarbone. It was where Jimin had given her a bite, an _actual_ love bite from when she came from her high. It hurt like a bitch, and it left reddish-purple marks in the shape of Jimin's teeth, but Minjeong would be lying if she said it didn't feel good at that time, the mix of pain and pleasure.

At the memory of their illicit night, Minjeong's body runs warm. She could vividly remember how Jimin touched her, gentle slowly turning rough when it needed to be. But Minjeong touching her was another story. Awkward and nervous, every sound Jimin made produced a skittish reaction from the blonde. It was downright embarrassing, yet Jimin patiently guided her through it all. Going all the way until Minjeong sees Jimin's angelic face twisting in pleasure, and her lips are chanting her name in breathless whispers—god, it was bringing her body to a higher temperature.

"Minjeong!"

The ballpen slips from her fingers, falling onto the glass table with a sharp clack. Minjeong glances towards the direction of the call, only to be greeted with Yuri's scowling face. What the hell was her problem this time?

"The vice-chairman is talking to you," She snaps in a vile tone.

Oh.

Soobin reaches his arm out between them, giving Yuri a warning look. "No need to be like that, Yuri-ssi..."

Minjeong almost laughs at how Yuri's face scrunches up even more at the honorific used. 

"...I just wanted to know how Minjeong found Miami."

"It was lovely, Sir."

"The whole vibe makes you never want to leave. The last time I went with Jimin…," Soobin continues, but Minjeong only listens up until the mention of Jimin's name. The rest of his words sounded unbelievable, and watching Yuri's face crumple in jealousy was more entertaining. "…and I remember all the meals were great there, too. Miami is quite unforgettable, right?" 

" _Really_ unforgettable," She quips, her hand immediately going up to hover over the bite. 

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Minjeong?" The vice-chairman has his eyebrows furrowed on her, and it makes Minjeong feel self-conscious. "You look like you've got a fever coming on."

A layer of heat tops over Minjeong's already warm cheeks, and it catches her by surprise. Was she being too obvious about mentally reliving the _trip_?

"I-I'm all good, Vice-Chairman Choi."

"You surprised me when you showed up to work yesterday. You should've taken the day off like I told you so," Soobin says, turning his back on her to go back on his computer. "If it were me, I'd still be knocked out from the jetlag."

"But I'm not—"

"It's noon anyways. Come back when you feel better."

"You heard him, Minjeong-ssi," Yuri sneered at her. "Come back when you feel better."

_Damn, they really want to get rid of me._

When Minjeong doesn't move for the next minute, Yuri is quick to grab her by the arms and drag her out of the room. She doesn't fight her, not with the vice-chairman watching them from the corner of his eye. Minjeong internally scoffs at how oblivious the two were about her knowledge of them but allows Yuri to lead her out of the office, not sparing an extra second to slam the door to her face.

Great, a free day. But now that Soobin has mentioned it, Minjeong does feel quite feverish. Not that it was related to her explicit memories, her head starting a dull throb, and the inside of her mouth started to feel warm. After slinging her bag on and descending to the lobby, Minjeong finds herself on one of the waiting areas' seats while waiting for her taxi. 

Wednesdays sat in the middle of busy but not too busy days for Choi Global Companies. In the relatively silent open space, Minjeong was among security guards, employees of different departments, and presumably new applicants for the company. However, there stood out a figure in the sea of corporate suits, dressed so casually it was obviously out of place.

The white shirt clung loosely on her shoulders, and the black leggings she had on showed off those long legs. Proportions-wise, Yoo Jimin's body was the golden ratio. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sway of her hips, the checkered flannel tied around them, blending the outfit seamlessly. 

"Hey, you."

Upon the greeting, Minjeong stands up to bow, a mistake on her part with her head spinning and her weight feeling out of balance. Jimin catches her by her upper arm just before she leans all the way to one side, smiling at her amusedly. Once she regains her balance, the younger girl prepares to utter an apology, but it never comes when she sees Jimin's face for the first time since their trip.

The dimple that popped out of Jimin's left cheek was so adorable it briefly distracted her from the hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

Minjeong visibly stiffens up at the sudden contact, taking a step back and looking around in case anybody was watching them.

"They don't care about us, Minjeong-ah," Jimin chuckles, adjusting her grip of the iced coffee in one hand.

"What are you doing here?" The words didn't mean to come out so accusing, but they do. 

Jimin is taken back by the question. "I came to see what Soobin was doing, maybe a quick chat with you to catch up. Is there a problem?"

Minjeong swallows hard at her change in tone, almost as if it taunted her to challenge Jimin's authority.

"No, there's no problem," She answers in a smaller voice than she'd like. "I was just wondering why you were here. Your schedule said you—"

"Are you keeping tabs on me, Secretary Kim?" Jimin quirks an eyebrow at her, sipping on her iced coffee.

"It's… It's part of my job," Minjeong shyly points out while turning her gaze to Jimin's shoes. 

The model lets out an airy chuckle. "I'm just messing with you, Minjeong-ah, lighten up. And may I ask why you're down here instead of being nine floors above?"

"I'm not feeling so good, and Vice Chairman Choi thought it would be best if I went home." Minjeong widens her eyes and remains frozen when Jimin reaches to cup her cheek, flinching when the cold rings on her fingers come into contact with her warming cheek.

Jimin frowns and clicks her tongue. "I should've been firmer with Soobin about taking your day off."

"I was feeling fine until today," Minjeong mumbles her excuse. 

"Exactly," The hand on her cheek drops and finds hers, tugging her to follow. "Come, I'll drive you.'

"I already called a taxi—"

"Let me bring you home, Minjeong-ah," Jimin sighed, her honey-dripped voice compelled every single fiber in Minjeong's body to obey. "We both know this is mainly my fault."

There was a tug on her hand once again, this time with more force. Minjeong shoots her skeptical look, and Jimin returns one of _I'm not accepting a no from you_. Seeing as there wasn't much she could do, not with the tight grip on her wrist, Minjeong gives in. Jimin flashes another dimpled smile before taking her to the underground parking.

"It's just a drive home, I promise."

/////

The last time Minjeong was in Jimin's Mercedes, she was too wrapped up in accompanying the model to work to appreciate it, but with her eyes getting droopy the moment she was strapped in her seat, she needed something to focus on to keep her awake. Her fingers trailed over the buttery leather car seat, senses drowning in jasmine perfume while she enjoyed the ballad song quietly blasting out the speakers. 

Well, she wasn't entirely enjoying it. Jimin humming along to its tune was enough to lull her to sleep, and the last thing she wanted was for the model to see her drooling or something. At some point, she does fall asleep, and it was her second mistake of the day. By the time Jimin shakes her awake, her entire body burns while at the same time feeling like jelly. Every step she took had her leaning to one side, and if it weren't for Jimin's help, she would've never made it to her apartment floor. 

It took longer than it should have, Minjeong tripping over every two or three steps. She was shocked at how patient and gentle Jimin was being, her actions similar to that of Miami that assured her that she was doing a good job. They were both breathing out their mouths now, a thin layer of sweat coating their foreheads as they stumbled up to the third floor.

After pushing the apartment door open, the pair stagger inside. They were greeted by complete silence; Ningning's absence was due to her starting her first day at work, to which Minjeong was thankful for. Ningning would make the whole thing a bigger deal than it was and start asking questions, though her roommate would be right to assume that it was a big deal when your boss's wife brings you home. 

Minjeong poorly attempts to tear herself off Jimin's grasp, but the older girl holds her in place beside her.

"I can walk to my room from here."

"I can walk both of us there," Jimin insists, and Minjeong keeps her mouth shut, too weak to wiggle herself free anyway.

The older girl doesn't let go, not until they reach Minjeong's bed, helping its owner get on it properly. Minjeong is about to lie completely flat on the mattress, but Jimin stops her. 

"You're not sleeping in that," Jimin swipes the back of her hand across her forehead. "I'll help you change out."

"It's fine, Unnie, no need for that."

"You're sweating in your clothes. It's only going to make you feel worse," Jimin chides before turning to the closet by the door.

Embarrassment seeps into Minjeong when Jimin starts to go through her closet, randomly opening drawers, eventually landing in the one that held all her underwear, before she finds that all Minjeong's house clothes were folded to one side. When Jimin returns to her side, she lays out an old graphic t-shirt and grey sweatpants on the bed. 

Minjeong abruptly leans back when Jimin's fingers reach for the buttons on her blouse, her hand a second away from Jimin undoing the first one. 

"I can change myself, Unnie."

"Alright," Jimin nods, letting go of her blouse. "Hurry up, then."

Minjeong looks at her, appalled. "A-Are you not going to leave?"

"I've already seen everything, Minjeong-ah. No need to be shy."

Jimin's answer has her swallowing thickly. "I meant, you said you'd only drive me home."

"Don't you want me to take care of you?" Jimin tilts her head to the side. "I'm here, anyway."

"You've got other things to—"

"So, you _do_ want me to take care of you."

"Stop putting words into my mouth," Minjeong whined, turning away as she feels her face heating up to a higher degree. 

When Jimin shows no signs of leaving, Minjeong lets out a huff and starts unbuttoning her blouse. Jimin had a point; she'd already seen everything nobody ever has in the last three years; the last person being able to do so was her ex back in college. With all the buttons undone, she shrugs the thin material off, uncovering the bite on her left side and the numerous hickeys that dotted across her torso. Jimin takes a step back when Minjeong unzips the back of her pencil skirt, admiring the way the mellowed sunlight from the window highlights the marks that run along the inside of Minjeong's thigh when the fabric falls to the floor.

Jimin takes Minjeong's chin, forcing the girl to look at her while her thumb pads over the bite mark. "Does it still hurt?" 

"A little bit," The younger girl mumbles, shivering when Jimin leans down to give it a light peck. 

A look of alarm etches her face when Jimin's hand trails along her back, unclasping her bra in one swift motion, the cream-colored garment falling on the floor. She relaxes ever so slightly when Jimin lets go to bring the shirt over her head, only to catch her by surprise again when Jimin smashes their lips together for a chaste kiss. The moment she pulls away, Minjeong stares at her in disbelief.

"Are you crazy?" Minjeong reprimanded in a slightly hoarse voice. "You're going to get sick, too!"

Jimin chuckles, handing the sweatpants to Minjeong, who accepts it briskly, before pointing to her gut. "I'm not. I'm quite tough in here."

Minjeong says nothing, slipping herself under the covers and yanking them up to her nose. Jimin takes it upon herself to squeeze beside the blonde, the latter reluctantly moving aside to make space but not giving her a single inch of the blanket. She watches as Jimin runs a hand through her hair, turning it into a tousled mess, glistening with sweat. She suddenly missed Miami.

Minjeong hated to admit it, but she had been missing Jimin during the last two days where they haven't seen each other. Two days weren't so long, a mere 48 hours in their busy lives, yet Minjeong found herself doing so. They've known each other for months, Minjeong knowing of Jimin even longer because of her career, and they've only gotten close thanks to one troublesome circumstance, also known as Choi Soobin. 

But was it enough to validate that it was _okay_ that she missed Jimin? What else needed validation? Since the beginning, she had received special treatment; was it because she seemed less of a threat than Yuri and Chaewon? Would that explain the tender side Jimin only showed to her? She'd like to assume that it was solely reserved for her, but what did it mean when Jimin goes out her way to take care of someone that wasn't supposed to-- 

"Minjeong-ah," Jimin adjusts herself on her side to face her. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Nothing," her answer muffled by the covers, but with her head shaking, Jimin understood right away. 

"It wouldn't be nothing with your eyebrows like that," Jimin giggles, her pointer and middle finger landing on Minjeong's forehead to give a massage. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Then get some rest, silly. You're really burning up now."

"You can't stay here, you know," Minjeong pulls the blanket down, starting to feel sticky after feeling her warm breath on her face. "I mean, you've got work."

Jimin hums, tucking her arms under her cheek. "I'll be going in a while. New interns are piling up

Ten's studio,"

Minjeong almost forgets that Ningning was one of those interns, and soon, she'd be part of Jimin's team. She could already imagine how noisy the girl would be tonight. "But I'm not seeing myself out until I see your sleeping face."

Minjeong scoffs, just why is Jimin saying stuff so boldly like that? It was supposed to sound creepy if it wasn't Jimin, but the problem was _it was Jimin_. Did that explain the fluttering in her chest? No, it was definitely the way Jimin was staring at her so shamelessly like she was the only thing that mattered right now. How she wished it was true. Unable to swallow down reality, Minjeong turns the other side, trying to get away from the jasmine scent that circulated the room and focusing more on the drowsiness fueled by her fever-driven state, eventually leading her to her slumber. 

/////

By the time Ningning arrived home, it was around 9 PM. Minjeong was sitting on the living room couch, wrapped up tightly in her blanket as her roommate babbled on from the kitchen. It was no problem since Ningning was particularly loud whenever she was excited, and Minjeong was only half-listening. She was still drowsy from her fever and probably the biggest lunch she'd ever had. 

When Ningning walks over, handing a cup of tea and medicine tablets to Minjeong, who gratefully accepts it. She blew onto her drink, nodding along to Ningning's apparent highlight of the day. 

"…and that's when Yoo Jimin shows up! She ran kinda late, but that was because she bought cookies for everybody!" Ningning exclaimed, waving an empty plastic bag in the air. "And she was super kind and caring, too! You should meet her, Unnie."

"Yeah, I should," Minjeong hums, reaching for her phone tucked by her side. 

She tunes out the rest of her roommate's story, fingers busily swiping to locate that specific text message she had received while she was asleep. 

**02XX XXX XXXX**

**_if you're reading this, then you're awake and i'm already gone ;) i left food in the fridge. be sure to take care of yourself, Minjeong-ah_ **

****

Sent

1:47 PM

****

The text had been sent hours ago, yet she couldn't find the right words to reply with. A simple thank you was the most obvious one, but Minjeong felt like she should say more. 

**Kim Minjeong**

**_Thank you for everything earlier. I really appreciated it, Unnie._**

Sent

9:29 PM

**Kim Minjeong**

**_I missed you a lot_ **

Sent

9:31 PM

She sent the second message without much thought, but the longer she waited for a reply, Minjeong wished she never sent it in the first place. God, what was she thinking? To Jimin, Minjeong was simply the secretary of her husband, the person she needed to forget about the guy, and once the need was gone, she'd be cast aside, never to be spoken to ever again. 

**02XX XXX XXXX**

**_no need to thank me, silly_ **

Sent

10:12 PM

**02XX XXX XXXX**

**_i missed you too <3 now rest up so i can see you soon ;)_ **

Sent

10:13 PM


End file.
